HOW CAFFEINE MIGHT HELP
Caffeine is known to decrease the inflammation of neurons in the brain, which helps to reduce cell death, said Prof Tan at the 10th Singapore International Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Symposium. However, it is not yet known how caffeine interacts with the Asian PD gene variants.
What is known is that individuals with the Asian genetic variants have a 1.5 to two times higher risk of developing PD. There are two known Asian gene variants that occur most frequently in East Asians, and up to 10 per cent of the Singapore population carry one of these gene variants.
A separate NNI study showed that 26 per cent of Singapore’s older population exhibited mild Parkinsonian signs. PD is a brain disorder that causes uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness and difficulty with balance and coordination.
WHAT THE STUDY INVOLVED
The study involved 4,488 subjects who completed a caffeine intake questionnaire to indicate their daily caffeine consumption. Of the lot, 1,790 had PD, 2,698 did not and all had one of the two Asian genetic variants associated with PD.
It was found that the average caffeine intake was about 448mg among the PD participants and 473mg among those without PD. The participants’ caffeine intake was the equivalent of four to five cups of Western-styled brewed arabica coffee (235ml or 8 fl oz per cup) or two cups of kopi made from robusta coffee beans, which have a higher caffeine content than arabica coffee beans.
While the protective benefits of caffeine appeared to increase with higher doses, those who drank less than 200mg of caffeine per day still cut their risk of PD. Consuming 400mg of caffeine a day is generally regarded as safe for most healthy adults.
Drinking coffee or tea with milk, sugar, honey or other additives did not affect caffeine’s effect on PD, according to the study.
“This research has important implications for the prevention of PD, especially in countries like Singapore, where the Asian gene variants are common,” said Prof Tan.
“Tea and coffee are readily available and culturally accepted in most Asian societies and consuming caffeine within normal limits offers an easy, pleasant and sociable way for people to potentially reduce their risk of PD.”