COFFEE addicts will be pleased to know that their caffeine-guzzling habit could reduce the risk of dementia later in life - but only if you have an irregular heart rhythm.
People aged over 65 who suffer from the common heart problem are less likely to experience memory loss due to dementia, scientists from Basel University Hospital in Switzerland have discovered.
Participants who consumed more than two brews per day, on average, also had lower levels of inflammatory blood markers associated with the degenerative disease, compared to those who drank less.
The researchers believe the positive effect could be attributed to the caffeine in coffee reducing oxidative stress, as well as decreasing inflammation and cell death in the brain, which may reduce dementia risk.
"Coffee consumption in patients with atrial fibrillation may be associated with improved cognitive performance and reduced inflammatory markers," the researchers concluded.
However, the Alzheimer's Society explained this has only been proven in mice and not humans, meaning the connection is still not verified.
The study's authors also conceded that more research is needed to confirm the link, but wrote that "coffee consumption in elderly patients with [atrial fibrillation] should not be discouraged".
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