Coffee consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:
Beghi et al compared the coffee consumption of 377 patients newly diagnosed cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease nerve cell degeneration in the brain and spinal cord that results in lost control or muscle movement, with that of three control groups. The group found that some levels of elevated coffee consumption were associated with decreased risk of ALS. Lifetime coffee consumption for ALS patients was lower compared to the neurologic, nonneurologic, and general population controls (odds ratios of 0.7, 0.6, and 0.4, respectively). (9)
Coffee, dementia and Alzheimer’s:
Studies consistently support coffee’s favorable effects against cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In a review done by Eskelinen et al., it was determined that moderate caffeine intake, coffee in particular, is associated with a decreased risk in the diagnosis of dementia and AD. This review included nine longitudinal studies and the CAIDE study (Cardiovascular risk factors, Aging and Dementia). The results from the longitudinal studies were inconsistent, but most studies (3 out of 5) support coffee’s favorable effects against cognitive decline. The CAIDE study showed that drinking 3 to 5 cups per day at midlife appears to decrease the risk of dementia and AD by about 65 percent later on. These findings suggest that coffee drinking may be associated with a decreased risk of dementia and AD. (10)