Coffee May Protect against Multiple Sclerosis
Coffee may protect against multiple sclerosis (MS), according to two large studies conducted in the US and Sweden.
In a statement, study author Ellen Mowry, MD, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, said that earlier studies have shown that consumption of caffeine can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and now this study shows ” … that coffee intake may also protect against MS, supporting the idea that the drug may have protective effects for the brain.”
The findings will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 67th Annual Meeting in April.
Researchers looked at coffee consumption among participants, 1 year and 5 years before onset of symptoms, and 10 years before onset of symptoms. They also looked at coffee consumption in healthy participants during similar time periods and adjusted for various factors like age, sex, smoking habits, body mass index, and sun exposure. The Swedish study showed that drinking at least 4 cups of coffee a day were less likely to develop MS.
According to the researchers, “Caffeine has neuroprotective properties and seems to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may be mechanisms that explain the observed association.”
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