Three cups of coffee a day linked to brain decline many people experience in old age – but tea may help PREVENT it

Too much coffee may accelerate the cognitive decline many people experience in old age, while tea may help prevent it, a study suggests.

Researchers studying data from thousands of Britons found that people who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were more likely to have problems with their memory, reasoning and decision-making skills years later.

In people who did not drink coffee or drank less than three cups of coffee per day, cognitive decline appeared to be slower.

Previous studies have shown that caffeine has a number of health benefits, including a lower risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.

However, researchers from Murdoch University in Perth claim their findings now suggest there is such a thing as too much coffee.

Researchers examining data from thousands of Britons found that people who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were more likely to have problems with their memory, reasoning and decision-making skills years later.

Some have suggested that the effect could be due to sleep deprivation caused by excessive caffeine consumption.

The study, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, examined adults with healthy mental function over the age of 60. They recorded their tea and coffee consumption and tracked any mental decline over the next 10 years.

More than half of respondents reported drinking between one and three cups of coffee per day, a quarter drank no coffee at all, and only 18 percent drank four or more cups.

In terms of daily tea consumption, only 15 percent reported never drinking tea, 38 percent drank one to three cups, and 47 percent admitted to drinking four or more cups.

Although people who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were more likely to have cognitive decline, this does not mean they developed dementia. It does mean they had more difficulty thinking, learning or remembering.