caffeine protects your brain
by fledgling otaku
Seems that caffeine has neuroprotective effects beyond just keeping the lights switched on upstairs:
Tags: brain, coffeeCoffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests.
The drink has already been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, and a study by a US team for the Journal of Neuroinflammation may explain why.
A vital barrier between the brain and the main blood supply of rabbits fed a fat-rich diet was protected in those given a caffeine supplement.
[...]
“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.”
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May 8th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I really like coffee, but you’ve got to be careful — espresso for example is HIGH in cholesterol. There’s plenty of other natural ways to control one’s cholesterol without the negative impacts of caffeine . A really good reference of these natural remedies can be found at the Dietary Supplement Information Bureau.