Coffee May Be Extremely Good For Your Liver
The liver is a remarkable organ that carries out hundreds of vital functions in your body.
It is vulnerable to modern dietary pitfalls, such as consuming too much alcohol or fructose.
Cirrhosis is the end stage of liver damage caused by diseases like alcoholism and hepatitis, where liver tissue has been largely replaced by scar tissue.
Multiple studies have shown that coffee can lower your risk of cirrhosis by as much as 80%. Those who drank 4 or more cups per day felt the strongest effect (21, 22,
26 ).
This effect is particularly profound in people with type 2 diabetes. One study showed that coffee drinkers had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20-year period .
Summary
Drinking coffee has been associated with a lower risk of death in prospective observational studies, especially in people with type 2 diabetes.
Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat And Improves Physical Performance
Theres a good reason why you will find caffeine in most commercial fat-burning supplements.
Caffeine, partly due to its stimulant effect on the central nervous system, both raises metabolism and increases the oxidation of fatty acids .
It can also improve athletic performance in several ways, including by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues (
Summary
Caffeine raises metabolic rate and helps mobilize fatty acids from fat tissues. It can also enhance physical performance.
More Than Just Caffeine
One of the more significant takeaways from the research is that the presence of caffeine didnt appear to influence the effectiveness of coffee in inhibiting amyloid plaque formation.
Previous studies that looked at the effect of coffee on the development of Alzheimers disease and other dementias often singled out caffeine, including one from the University of Florida in 2012 that found higher levels of caffeine in the blood of people who didnt develop dementia compared to those who did.
This most recent study suggests the phenylindane compounds, created during the coffee bean roasting process, may be at play instead.
That finding could point to a potential treatment or prevention tool against Alzheimers and Parkinsons in the future.
These would be preferable because they occur in nature and wouldnt have to be created synthetically, says Dr. Donald Weaver, a chemistry professor at the University of Toronto and a study co-author.
Mother Nature is a much better chemist than we are and Mother Nature is able to make these compounds, he said. If you have a complicated compound, its nicer to grow it in a crop, harvest the crop, grind the crop out and extract it than try to make it.
Will consuming more coffee actually reduce your risk of developing Alzheimers or Parkinsons disease?
Thats difficult to say at this point.
Weaver concurs.
This is simply more suggestive evidence for the pile.
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Coffee Can Make You Smarter
Coffee doesnt just keep you awake it may also make you smarter.
The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which is a stimulant and the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
Caffeine works in your brain by blocking the effects of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine.
Many controlled studies have examined the effects of caffeine on the brain, demonstrating that caffeine can temporarily improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general brain function (
For more information on the potential benefits of coffee for brain health, check out this article.
Summary
Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which has a stimulating effect. Controlled studies show that caffeine improves both mood and brain function.
Coffee And Parkinsons: Protection In The Making
All Science News articles summarize a research study and are not an official opinion, endorsement or position of the Parkinsons Foundations.
For years, drinking coffee has been associated with having a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease . In fact, a 1968 study suggested that coffee drinkers were less like to get PD . Since then, multiple epidemiologic studies have confirmed the PD/coffee connection . Researchers have mostly attributed the protective effect to the caffeine component .
Heres what the researchers did: over a six-month period, they treated groups of two different PD model mice with various combinations of caffeine and EHT to study their effects on both brain and behavior. There was also a group of mice that received no treatment. Then they performed several behavioral tests to study their movement, as well as study their brains for signs of alpha-synuclein clumps , neurodegeneration and inflammation. The study found that the untreated mice had significant amounts of clumped -synuclein in their brains, increased inflammation and loss of neurons, as well as significant deficits on three different behavioral tests. In general, the mice treated with EHT or caffeine alone showed either no or minimal improvement in any of these measures. However, the mice treated with the combination of EHT and caffeine together showed significant improvements in all of these measures.
Results
What Does This Mean?
Learn More
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You’re Not As Likely To Suffer A Stroke
For women, drinking at least one cup of coffee a day is associated withlowered stroke risk, which is the fourth leading cause of female deaths.
5 Heart-Healthy Food Swaps
When it comes to your heart health, it’s the little, everyday choices you make that can have the biggest impact on your future well-being. Isatu Isuk, a dietitian at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, suggests five simple adjustments you can make to help boost your heart health.
Facts Highlighted In The Recent Research Study
Study published on 1st of August 2012 in the sector of Neurology has tracked 61 Parkinsons disease patients as exhibiting symptoms related to daytime sleepiness and tremor.
Medical experts gave participants to get either placebo pill for two times in a day or 100miligrams caffeine pill for two times in a day for maximum 3 weeks. Post three weeks, research study experts gave 200 milligram of caffeine pills for 2 times in a day i.e. caffeine approximately equal to 2 to 4 cups of coffee.
After a research study of total six weeks, people consuming caffeine pills achieved about five-point improvement on the severity rating scale associated with Parkinsons symptoms than others consumed placebos.
Indeed, it is a modest improvement and the right one to give benefits to people suffering from Parkinsons disease. Besides improvement in parkinsons disease symptoms, researchers have even observed about three-point improvement approximately associated with speed of body movements and extent of stiffness usually experienced by Parkinsons disease patients than their caffeine free counterpart individuals.
Studies have even justified that people intake caffeine less likely to develop the incurable Parkinsons disease. However, it is the first study in human beings, which highlighted caffeine/coffee, is helpful with symptoms related to motor fluctuations and body movements among people suffering from Parkinsons disease.
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Why Should Coffee Reduce The Risk Of Parkinson’sdisease
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Although the new research is suggestive of a linkbetween caffeine and Parkinson’s disease, it is too early to saythat caffeine will prevent Parkinson’s disease. Perhaps the brains ofpeople who like and dislike coffee are different. It may be that thisdifference results in the different incidence of Parkinson’s disease andin the consumption of coffee. Also, the study included older,Japanese-American men. It is unknown if the caffeine/Parkinson diseaserelationship holds for other ethnic groups, women and younger people. Aswith many preliminary studies, this research requires further experimentsto establish a causal link between caffeine and reduced incidence ofParkinson’s disease.
| Try it! |
How much caffeine do you consume each day? Use this worksheetto keep track of the products with caffeine that you consume. Write downthe name of the product, the amount you consume of each product , the amount ofcaffeine in each product and the time that you consumed the product. Useseparate worksheets if you want to track your caffeine consumption ondifferent days.
Can Fight Depression And Make You Happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life.
Its very common, as about 4.1% of people in the US currently meet the criteria for clinical depression.
In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed .
Another study in 208,424 individuals found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to die by suicide (
Summary
Coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, which usually diminish over time. Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease and have a slightly lower risk of stroke.
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Coffee Is Loaded With Nutrients And Antioxidants
Coffee isnt just black water.
Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink, which actually contains a decent amount of vitamins and minerals.
One cup of coffee contains :
- 6% of the RDA for pantothenic acid
- 11% of the RDA for riboflavin
- 2% of the RDA for niacin and thiamine
- 3% of the RDA for potassium and manganese
It may not seem like much, but if you drink several cups of coffee per day then it quickly adds up.
But thats not all. Coffee also contains massive amounts of antioxidants.
In fact, coffee is one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the Western diet, even outranking many fruits and vegetables .
Summary
Coffee contains a decent amount of several vitamins and minerals. It is also one of the biggest sources of antioxidants in the modern diet.
Caffeine And Cognitive Improvement In Pd
Indeed, preclinical studies with A2AR antagonist effect on cognition in normal and MPTP-treated non-human primates provide the experimental evidence that A2AR antagonists including caffeine can improve cognitive impairments in PD models . Recent preclinical studies in rodents and non-human primates demonstrated that A2AR antagonists not only enhance working memory , reversal learning , set-shifting , goal-directed behavior , and Pavlovian conditioning in normal animals, but also reverse working memory impairments in animal models of PD and Huntingtons disease , traumatic brain injury as well as Alzheimers disease . Furthermore, we recently demonstrated a pro-cognitive effect in normal as well as MPTP-treated Cynomolgus monkeys . The demonstrated treatment paradigm of the A2AR antagonist KW6002 for spatial working memory enhancement in non-human primate model of PD provide required preclinical data to facilitate the design of clinical trial of A2AR antagonists including caffeine for cognitive benefit in PD patients . Notably, recent clinical trials of A2AR antagonists for motor benefits in PD did not evaluate their possible effects on cognitive impairment in PD patients . With the approval of istradefylline, it will now be possible to evaluate the ability of A2AR antagonists to reverse cognitive deficits in PD patients in clinical phase IV trials.
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Potential Neuroprotective Effects Of Caffeine In Pd Patients And Pd Models
Furthermore, the neuroprotective effect of caffeine from epidemiological investigation is further supported by mounting evidence from animal studies demonstrating that caffeine confers neuroprotection against dopaminergic neurodegeneration in neurotoxin PD models using mitochondrial toxins and -Syn transmission mouse model through intracerebral injection of -Syn fibers . For example, acute or chronic treatment with caffeine attenuates MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration . It is interesting to note that in a chronic MPTP infusion model of PD caffeine can still confer protection against dopamine neurodegeneration even when caffeine was administered after the onset of the neurodegenerative process . Furthermore, our recent study demonstrated that caffeine can protect against A53T mutant -Syn induced pathological alterations in intact animals using the -Syn fibril model of PD, an effect associated with the enhanced activity of autophagy .
A Cup Of Joe May Help Some Parkinsons Disease Symptoms
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 25,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimers disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinsons disease and epilepsy.For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on , , and .
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Caffeine From Two To Four Daily Cups Of Coffee May Reduce Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms
Should doctors start prescribing coffee?
In the latest study to tie coffee to health benefits, new research finds a daily caffeine boost may ease symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in sufferers.
Parkinson’s is a degenerative brain disease that causes tremors, difficulty with walking, movement and coordination. The condition most commonly develops in adults over 50, and occurs when nerve cells in the brain that make the muscle-controlling neurotransmitter dopamine are slowly destroyed, leading to loss in muscle function. The cause of the disease remains unknown.
The study, published August 1 in the online issue of Neurology, tracked 61 people with Parkinson’s who were exhibiting symptoms of daytime sleepiness. Participants were assigned to receive either a placebo pill twice per day or a 100 milligram-caffeine pill twice per day for three weeks. After three weeks, those in the caffeine group were given a 200 milligram caffeine pill twice per day, about the caffeine equivalent found in two to four cups of coffee.
Six weeks into the study, people taking the caffeine pills averaged a five-point improvement on a ratings scale of Parkinson’s symptom severity compared to those who took placebos. Researchers called this a modest improvement, but one that might provide benefits to people with the disease.
Oddly enough, caffeine did not appear to help improve the patients’ daytime sleepiness problems.
Coffee Contains A Lot Of Antioxidants
Coffee is a goldmine of antioxidants, and is also rich in potassium, magnesium, manganese, chromium, probiotics, vitamins and tocopherols. In fact, one of the surprising results from a study conducted in the United States a few years ago was that we get more antioxidants from this drink than from fruits and vegetables. In addition, we generally consume more coffee than fruits.
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Parkinsons disease is a progressive disorder that develops as a result of losing dopamine-producing neurons. These cells are mainly located in the part of the brain called substantia nigra pars compacta, explains movement disorders neurologist and Parkinsons expert Lynda Nwabuobi, MD. With degeneration of these cells and hence, depletion of dopamine, Parkinsons disease includes symptoms such as tremor, bradykinesia , and rigidity manifest.
This condition can make it more difficult to complete everyday tasks, like moving about the house, putting on clothes, and even speaking. It can be challenging to manage Parkinsons, especially on your own, so having friends and family there to support really can make the difference. Dr. Nwabuobi says its important to remember that Parkinsons is not fatal and many people live full enriched lives with the condition.
One of the ways to help someone in your life dealing with Parkinsons this holiday season is to give them a present that not only makes them smile, but works to make their life more manageable and puts some level of control back in their hands. Here are some gift ideas theyll be sure to love and appreciate.
Coffee Lifts Our Anger
No, this is not a joke. This dark, delicious drink acts as a natural antidepressant medication by increasing the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. There is no better way to start the day.
The most important thing to understand is that coffee affects people in different ways. It keeps some awake at night, while otherssleep patterns may not change at all. At the same time, it can also lead to acid production in some people. Therefore, it should be clear that we ourselves must find out how coffee makes us feel. As a general rule, you should not drink more than three cups a day.
According to various experts, medical specialists and dietitians, the maximum daily dose of caffeine should not exceed 500 milligrams. This means that it is important to think about the sizes of the cups we use and avoid oversized ones. This is how much caffeine is in a normal-sized cup of the following coffees:
- Instant coffee: 40 mg
- Brewed coffee: 30-40 mg
- Espresso: 200-250 mg
Do not hesitate to enjoy your daily cup of coffee. And also remember that to lose weight naturally, you can also make it a habit to try the delicious extract of green coffee beans.
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Caffeine May Modulate Pd Pathology By Regulating Autophagy Activity
Using an -Syn fibril model of PD, we recently have provided the first evidence that caffeine can attenuate abnormal -Syn aggregation and neurotoxicity by re-establishing autophagy activity in animal models of PD . Specifically, chronic caffeine treatment did not affect autophagy processes in the normal mice striatum, but did selectively reverse -Syn-induced defects in macroautophagy and CMA . Thus, caffeine may represent a novel pharmacological therapy for PD by targeting autophagy pathway. This study collaborates with the previous study showing that caffeine-induced autophagy protected against human prion protein peptide -triggered apoptosis in a SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line. Therefore, autophagy enhanced by caffeine may be a valid therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and prion .
Cubii Pro Seated Under Desk Elliptical Machine
While there is no cure for Parkinsons, a combination of exercise and the proper pharmacological therapy can alleviate symptoms, says Dr. Nwabuobi. Animal data suggests that exercise affects dopaminergic neurotransmission and neuroplasticity. Clinically, it helps patients maintain their balance, mobility and activities of daily living, she explains further. The Cubii Pro Seated Elliptical Machine is a great way to get in physical activity throughout the day, whether doing work at your desk or lounging on the couch. Its able to sync with smartphones and fitness trackers to keep an accurate record of your pedaled distance, calories burned, and more.
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