Drinking More Coffee And Tea Might Reduce Health Risks As You Age, According To A New Study

You probably don't need a reason to drink more coffee or tea, but you might be looking for a reason to justify your consumption. In which case, we have some good news for you.

According to a 2026 study published in JAMA, drinking 2-3 cups of tea or coffee daily can reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. These are the results of a long-range study conducted over 43 years on a group of just over 131,000 men and women from the U.K. and U.S. The results showed an 18% lower risk of dementia among regular coffee drinkers, and 14% lower risk for tea drinkers. There was also a reduction in cognitive decline from the average of 9.5% to 7.8%. These results were consistent even across groups genetically predisposed to dementia.

It appears that a moderate amount of caffeinated tea or coffee produced the best results, meaning 2-3 cups of coffee or 1-2 cups of tea daily. Higher amounts didn't have a negative impact, but neither was there an increase in benefits regarding dementia prevention.

Importantly, those that drank decaffeinated coffee or tea didn't see the same reduction in risk. Caffeine is thought to be the key factor here, but more research is still needed to rule out other lifestyle factors. No other caffeinated drinks were included in the study, so it's too early to start calculating how much caffeine in soda compares to that in coffee in terms of staying healthier in later life.

This study offers new hope in the prevention of dementia, but it's certainly not the only reason to continue with your morning cup of joe. There's plenty of research that shows drinking coffee can lead to a longer life. But for anyone that doesn't tolerate caffeine well, the downsides may well not be worth any benefits.

Coffee is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, both of which are believed to lead to a reduced risk of chronic disease. Coffee consumption is linked to lower incidences of heart disease, liver disease and liver cancer, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer.

The caffeine in coffee offers short-term benefits in terms of improved athletic performance, physical endurance and improved mood. And caffeine is also linked to a lower risk of depression.

What's important to keep in mind here is that more is not necessarily better. The best results are found with moderate amounts of caffeine or coffee, and drinking more than the maximum amount of caffeine per day can lead to unpleasant side effects in the short term, and heart problems in the long term. Likewise, if you load your coffee with cream and sugar, these add-ins are likely to counteract some of the benefits.