Scientists from Tianjin Medical University found that drinking tea and coffee is linked to lower risks of stroke and dementia.
Coffee and tea are incredibly healthy beverages. Most types contain caffeine, a substance that may boost your mood, metabolism, and mental and physical performance.
Tea and coffee help the body fight free radicals with chemicals of their own called antioxidants. Free radicals can damage the cells and lead to disease and illness.
Both tea and coffee are linked to a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more.
Previous studies have found the protective effects of coffee and tea in the development of stroke and dementia.
However, little is known about the link between the combination of coffee and tea and the risk of stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia.
In the study, researchers aimed to examine the associations of coffee and tea with the risk of developing stroke and dementia.
They analyzed data from 365,682 people (50 to 74 years old) from the UK Biobank. Participants joined the study from 2006 to 2010 and were followed up until 2020.
The team estimated the associations between coffee/tea drinking and incident stroke and dementia. Coffee and tea consumption was assessed before the study.
During a follow-up of 11 years, the team found that 5,079 participants developed dementia, and 10,053 participants developed stroke.
The team found that coffee intake of 2 to 3 cups/d or tea intake of 3 to 5 cups/d or their combination intake of 4 to 6 cups/d were linked to the lowest risk of stroke and dementia.
Compared with those who did not drink tea and coffee, drinking 2 to 3 cups of coffee and 2 to 3 cups of tea per day was associated with a 32% lower risk of stroke and a 28% lower risk of dementia.
Moreover, drinking coffee and tea together was linked to a lower risk of ischemic stroke and vascular dementia.
The team also found the combination of tea and coffee was linked to a lower risk of poststroke dementia, with the lowest risk at a daily consumption level of 3 to 6 cups of coffee and tea.
These findings suggest that drinking coffee and tea separately or in combination were associated with a lower risk of stroke and dementia.
Intake of coffee alone or in combination with tea was associated with a lower risk of poststroke dementia.
One limitation of the study is that coffee and tea intake was self-reported before the study and may not reflect long-term drinking habits.
The research is published in PLOS MEDICINE. and was conducted by Yaogang Wang et al.
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