Can older people drink coffee? The answer may surprise you
Is there an age at which you should limit or stop drinking coffee? There is a scientific answer to this. It turns out that a little black dress not only won’t harm seniors, but can bring specific benefits.
The belief that older people should avoid coffee should be treated as a myth, emphasize experts of the “Coffee and Health” educational program. As they point out, citing, among others, to a lecture by Dr. Anna Barczak on the impact of coffee on health (delivered in 2020 during the “Family Medicine Forum – virtual meeting”), regular drinking of caffeinated coffee increases cognitive resources in older people – improves the ability to reproduce information and memory visuospatial, has a beneficial effect on alertness, concentration and mood, and stimulates motor activity.
Coffee helps keep your mind sharp
How does coffee improve brain function? The stimulants it contains – caffeine, theobromine and theophylline – increase the secretion of neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine, which mobilize the body to action. As specialists remind us, coffee not only stimulates, but also delays fatigue. At the same time, it has been proven that coffee can be an important element of a diet that prevents dementia. Coffee minimizes the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Coffee and the heart and bones of seniors
Elderly patients who come to cardiology offices often ask whether they can drink coffee. They are afraid that coffee will raise their blood pressure. As emphasized by prof. quoted in the materials of the “Coffee and Health” program. Artur Mamcarz, a specialist in internal diseases and cardiology, nothing could be further from the truth, because we can talk about coffee and tea in the context of a hypotensive effect, i.e. lowering the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Numerous studies show that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day reduces cardiovascular risk.
It is also a myth that coffee leaches calcium from bones. No research has confirmed this. However, when preventing osteoporosis, a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and an appropriate dose of exercise are important.
When should seniors be careful with coffee?
Many seniors take various medications on a permanent basis. The key rule here is to always drink water with your medicines. Coffee will not be a good solution here (just like other drinks such as tea or juices). Any doubts related to your diet should be consulted with your doctor or a professional dietitian.
