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Caffeine, Blood Brain Barrier, Alzheimer's

Coffee may be Good for the Brain

Caffeine is one of those devices that so many of us subscribe too. When you consider addictions, caffeine is not seen as a ‘bad’ addiction, just somewhat natural. And while I hope that this isn’t just me trying to justify the amount of caffeine I have consumed and will continue to consume, there is at least medical research to back up drinking some caffeine. 

According to new research by a team from the University of North Dakota and to be published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, having a cup of coffee a day may help protect the brain from harm.

The team fed a group of rabbits a high-cholesterol diet over 12 weeks. However in one group of rabbits they added a caffeine supplement, amounting to be the equivalent of one cup of coffee a day. In those rabbits fed the caffeine, it was found that a barrier between the brain and the main blood supply was more intact than those without the caffeine.

The “blood brain barrier” is a wall which acts as a filter for the central nervous system, protecting it from harmful chemicals carried around in the rest of the bloodstream. Previous studies have shown that high levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream can make this barrier weaker.

Alzheimer’s researchers have already shown that this weakness makes the brain vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.

Similarly, Alzheimer’s researchers have already tied coffee to creating a lower risk of the disease. This new study has simply reinforced the possibility that caffeine helps maintain the all important barrier.

“Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky,” said Dr Jonathan Geiger, who led the study. “High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps by compromising the protective nature of the blood brain barrier. Caffeine is a safe and readily available drug and its ability to stabilise the blood brain barrier means it could have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders.”

A spokesman for the Alzheimer’s Disease Society echoed the importance of this study providing answers to why caffeine has been shown to be a benefit.

“This is the best evidence yet that caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee a day can help protect the brain against cholesterol. In addition to its effect on the vascular system, elevated cholesterol levels also cause problems with the blood brain barrier.”

“This barrier, which protects the brain from toxins and infections, is less efficient prior to brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease or strokes.”