Three Cups a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Who would've thought that the fountain of youth could be found right in your very own kitchen -- and right under your nose? Your morning cup of coffee provides more than just a kick in the pants to get going in the morning, it also has positive affects on your noodle! Studies have shown that drinking at least three to five cups of coffee a day in midlife can cut Alzheimer's risk 65 percent in late life. A July 2011 study by researchers at the University of Florida found that 'coffee seems to have an unidentified ingredient that combines with caffeine to reduce brain levels of beta-amyloid -- the abnormal protein that is thought to cause the disease,' published the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. In early studies, USF researchers believed that caffeine was probably the ingredient that provides protection because it decreases brain production of beta-amyloid. However, the same study also claims that it may not be the caffeine itself but a combination of the caffeine and coffee's compounds that, when combined, increases blood levels of a growth factor called GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor). Alzheimer patients are known to have low levels of GCSF. In their studies, long term treatment with coffee enhanced levels of GCSF and memory in mice with Alzheimer's. Three key benefits researchers found were:

1. GCSF recruits stem cells from bone marrow to enter the brain and remove the harmful beta-amyloid protein that initiates the disease
2. GSCF creates new connections between brain cells
3. GCSF increases the birth of new neurons in the brain

While this has only been tested and verified on mice, it does demonstrate that coffee can have a strong impact on the progression of Alzheimer's, to the extent that it's worth more study. Dr. Chuanhai Cao, one of the study's lead authors, said, 'Together these actions appear to give coffee an amazing potential to protect against Alzheimer's -- but only if you drink moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee.' But who's to say adding those extra cups of coffee won't give you a memory like an elephant when you're in your 90s? Better safe than sorry.