Experts Say Coffee May Be the Top Beverage for Reducing Alzheimer’s Risk

In the United States, about one in nine adults age 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease, which equals roughly 7.4 million people. While there is no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, certain daily habits may influence risk, including beverage choices. Three experts say coffee is the best drink for helping lower that risk.

Why Coffee Stands Out

According to the experts, coffee leads the pack because it has been studied extensively and appears to offer several unique benefits.

“I recommend coffee because it has been extensively studied, and some large observational studies suggest that moderate consumption may benefit cognitive health,” Jennifer Pallian, RD, registered dietitian and founder of Foodess, told HEALTH.

A large study of more than 131,000 people, followed for as long as 43 years, found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was linked with better cognitive performance and a lower risk of dementia.

“Participants who had the highest caffeinated coffee consumption had an 18% lower risk of dementia than those with the lowest consumption,” said Emer MacSweeney, MBBS, MRCP, FRCR, a London-based neuroradiologist and co-founder of Re:Cognition Health.

Researchers believe coffee’s plant compounds, including caffeine, chlorogenic acids, and other polyphenols, may help explain the connection. These compounds work as antioxidants and may help curb inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular dysfunction that can harm brain health, Pallian explained.

Caffeine may be especially relevant to Alzheimer’s prevention. Early studies suggest it could reduce the buildup of amyloid-beta and p-tau, two proteins tied to Alzheimer’s disease.

“Caffeine may also improve insulin sensitivity and vascular function, potentially helping to reduce metabolic risk factors associated with cognitive decline,” Pallian added.

Getting the Most Brain Benefits From Coffee

Even with encouraging evidence, experts stressed that coffee should not take the place of an overall brain-healthy eating pattern.

“The strongest evidence continues to favor predominantly whole-food, plant-forward diets, such as the Mediterranean and MIND diets,” MacSweeney told HEALTH, “which emphasize vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, fish, nuts, and healthy fats, with relatively little highly processed food.”