Is your coffee habit setting you up for dementia later in life?

• Drinking six or more cups of coffee a day can increase your risk of developing dementia and stroke
• Previous research said coffee can be good at combating the development of dementia
• Although they don’t know why caffeine may be linked to dementia, researchers said that hydration remains key when drinking coffee

How much coffee you drink daily could increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a new study.

People who drink six or more cups of coffee a day have a 53% higher risk of developing dementia and a higher risk of stroke.

The findings from University of South Australia is far different than what previous research has said about the relationship between coffee and dementia. Previously, it was said that excessive coffee consumption could be good for preventing the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions.

The study, published in Nutritional Neuroscience, might make you think twice before loading up on caffeine for the day.

Why coffee leads to dementia

Researchers studied the effects of coffee on the brain among more than 17,000 UK Biobank participants and discovered the popular drink that helps millions power through the day can carry potential health implications.

“This is the most extensive investigation into the connections between coffee, brain volume measurements, the risks of dementia, and the risks of stroke — it’s also the largest study to consider volumetric brain imaging data and a wide range of confounding factors,” researchers said.

“Accounting for all possible permutations, we consistently found that higher coffee consumption was significantly associated with reduced brain volume — essentially, drinking more than six cups of coffee a day may be putting you at risk of brain diseases such as dementia and stroke.”

Although they didn’t discover the exact mechanisms that meant coffee people who drank over six cups of Joe daily had more than a 50% increased risk of dementia, researchers said it doesn’t necessarily mean drinking coffee is bad for you. They suggested hydrating with enough water while drinking coffee.

“Typical daily coffee consumption is somewhere between one and two standard cups of coffee. Of course, while unit measures can vary, a couple of cups of coffee a day is generally fine,” they said. “However, if you’re finding that your coffee consumption is heading up toward more than six cups a day, it’s about time you rethink your next drink.”

About 50 million people have been diagnosed with dementia worldwide.

A study published in 2019 found that drinking more than five cups of coffee per day can help prevent the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Other researchers said that three to five cups of coffee each day in middle age could lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease by 65%. Coffee may also be good for you heart.