Half of Americans Prefer Coffee Daily, and Your Choice Might Influence Alzheimer’s Risk, Study Reveals
Many in the U.S. relish their daily cup of coffee, be it black, in a latte, an Americano, or even an espresso martini. But that caffeine boost might have deeper health implications than just combating sleepiness.
A study featured in the ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry discovered that, based on preliminary lab tests, compounds present in espresso might combat tau protein aggregation—a factor considered key in Alzheimer’s disease development.
Every other American reaches for a coffee cup daily, with many favoring the rich intensity of espresso. This strong brew results from forcing hot water through finely crushed coffee beans, forming a potent extract often employed as a base for various drinks, such as the trending espresso martini. There’s mounting evidence indicating the potential benefits of coffee in warding off specific neurodegenerative ailments, notably Alzheimer’s.
The genesis of these illnesses remains somewhat enigmatic, but the tau protein is believed to be a pivotal actor. While in healthy individuals, tau proteins bolster brain structures, they can conglomerate into fibrils amidst certain diseases. Halting this buildup could potentially mitigate symptoms. Prompted by this idea, Mariapina D’Onofrio and her team sought to determine if espresso constituents could counter tau accumulation in a lab setting.
Upon extracting espresso from over-the-counter beans, the team elucidated its chemical profile using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. They pinpointed caffeine and trigonelline (both alkaloids), the flavonoid genistein, and theobromine (also present in chocolates) for closer scrutiny.
When these molecules and the entire espresso concentrate were paired with a truncated version of the tau protein over a span of 40 hours, an interesting pattern emerged. A surge in concentrations of espresso extract, caffeine, or genistein resulted in shorter fibrils that refrained from meshing into larger configurations. The full espresso extract demonstrated the most compelling outcomes.
Importantly, these shortened fibrils weren’t toxic to cells and did not serve as a foundation for more aggregations. Additional tests noted that both caffeine and the espresso blend could latch onto pre-existing tau fibrils.
The research is still in its infancy, but the group believes their initial lab results could steer the exploration for or development of compounds that counter neurodegenerative disorders, inclusive of Alzheimer’s.
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