A new study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University has revealed that drinking coffee regularly is beneficial in reducing the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The research conducted on mice revealed that two compounds in coffee; caffeine and EHT (Eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide) act therapeutically against Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.
It should be noted that both the diseases are incurable, and this new study report has become another strong reason for coffee lovers to drink an extra sip.
The benefits of caffeine are long known, but when it teamed together with EHT found in coffee beans' wax coating, brain degeneration in mice was slowed down drastically.
The study report published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that EHT protected the brain from abnormal protein accumulation, which is directly associated with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.
"EHT is a compound found in various types of coffee but the amount varies. It is important that the appropriate amount and ratio be determined so people do not over-caffeinate themselves as that can have negative health consequences," said Maral Mouradian, the lead author of the study, the Week reports.
The researcher also revealed that the current study was observational in nature, and further researchers should be done to determine the adequate amount of EHT and caffeine needed for protective effect.
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by difficulty in moving. This disease is more prevalent among old age people, and it used to affect the quality of their lives very badly.
On the other hand, Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease dementia, and it happens when protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in the brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement.
