[ad_1]
In addition to brightening our mornings and keeping us busy all day long, coffee has many health benefits: its caffeine content is believed to improve alertness and short-term memory – but studies suggest that Coffee can also have long-term protective effects on the brain.
Coffee consumption was previously linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and scientists now claim that they can get an idea of the reason. It turns out that phenylindans – chemical compounds that form during the brewing process – inhibit the growth of proteins badociated with degenerative brain diseases. And the darker the roast, they say, the more protective compounds there are in each cup.
For the new study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience researchers badyzed by the Krembil Brain Institute in Toronto. the chemical components of three different samples of Starbucks Via instant coffee: a light roast, a dark roast and a dark decaffeinated roast. They then exposed extracts of each sample to two types of protein – beta amyloid proteins and tau proteins – recognized as features of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown that as these conditions change, these proteins tend to form clumps (called amyloid plaques and entanglements of tau proteins) in the brain.
RELATED: Why could hot coffee be healthier than Cold Brew?
All three coffee extracts prevented the "bundling" of these proteins, suggesting that something in the US morning favorite brew could be protective against the progression of the disease. And since the researchers found no difference in the efficacy of ordinary beverages over decaffeinated coffee, they determined that is not caffeine that provides these benefits.
. However, they noticed more important inhibitory effects of caffeine. two dark roasts compared to light roast. This has led researchers to think of phenylindans, compounds formed during acid decomposition during coffee roasting, which are largely responsible for the bitter taste of coffee.
Phenylindans are present in greater concentration in longer roast coffees, such as roasts and espressos. The authors wrote in their article that they had "surprisingly potent antioxidant activity," but their ability to interact with amyloid and tau proteins has not been reported before.
In other laboratory studies, they found that a phenylindane mixture effectively prevented the protein-bound agglutination of proteins; in fact, it is the only compound studied that has an effect on amyloid and tau proteins. For tau proteins, it showed more potent inhibition levels than any other compound studied.
RELATED: Here is what happened when I gave up coffee for a week
Since both dark roasted coffee extracts showed the authors were suggested that it is the phenylindane component of coffee that is "largely responsible" for this effect. (And good news for decaffeinated coffee lovers: because the decaffeination process takes place before the roasting process the authors badume that it has no effect on phenylindane levels .)
This does not necessarily mean that everyone should start drinking an espresso or roasting their very dark coffee beans, though. The research is still preliminary, according to lead author Donald Weaver, MD, co-director of the Krembil Brain Institute, and much remains unclear about how these compounds actually work in the human body. (In addition, other research has suggested that lighter roasts had higher levels of different beneficial compounds so that it could still act ". a general health problem.)
RELATED: 8 strange things related Memory loss later in life
Weaver said in a press release that he hoped this research would lead further study of phenylindan, or even the development of drugs that can be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases. He also said that it was good to know that coffee has these naturally beneficial properties for you, even if there is not enough evidence to drink it just for these reasons.
"This study only takes epidemiological evidence and attempts to refine and demonstrate that there are actually components in coffee that are beneficial to avoid cognitive decline," Weaver said. "It's interesting, but do we suggest that coffee is a cure? Absolutely not. "
Experts say the best way to protect your brain from aging is to follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and sleep well. And if it turns out that a cup of coffee a day fits perfectly in this plan, we are all in favor of it.
To receive our best articles in your inbox, register for [19659017] Healthy Living Bulletin
Source link
