Our tea and coffee habits might reduce our risk of dementia

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-02-10 03:00

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Drinking caffeinated tea or coffee is linked to a lower risk of dementia, according to a study that followed US health workers for up to 43 years. Participants reported their dietary intakes every 2-4 years, and researchers found that those who drank more caffeinated tea or coffee were around 10-20% less likely to have been diagnosed with dementia over that time. The risk seemed to be most reduced by 1-2 cups a day of tea or 2-3 cups a day of coffee, with no added benefit at higher amounts. They also found that decaffeinated coffee was not linked to a reduced dementia risk, indicating that caffeine is likely key to the possibly protective effects of our favourite hot drinks.