coffee

Drink Up! Coffee May Reduce Your Risk of MS

Coffee intake has been linked to a reduced risk of several diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.  New research finds drinking coffee also may protect against the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disabling neurological disease that affects about 2.5 million people world-wide. Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Northern California studied more than 2,000 people, half of whom were diagnosed with MS. They found people who did not drink coffee had about a 1.5 times increased risk of developing MS. A Swedish study involving more than 4,000 people showed similar results. Researchers evaluated the study’s participants based on their coffee consumption five to 10 years  before their MS diagnosis. “Those who consumed four to six cups of coffee a day had a reduced risk in developing MS later in life,” says neurologist Robert Fox, MD.

Caffeine and brain health