Many foods or beverages, such as carbonated sodas and chocolates, contain caffeine. Caffeine, which is classified as a drug and food additive by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, boosts energy and alertness by preventing adenosine, a chemical produced by the brain that induces drowsiness, from binding with receptors. Some weight-loss aids as well as other medications contain caffeine. Caffeine has benefits and drawbacks, so use it in moderation.
Causes of Memory Loss
According to MedlinePlus, slight memory loss occurs with aging but severe memory loss develops in the presence of illnesses or conditions such as head injuries, depression, dementia, alcoholism and encephalitis. Pharmaceutical drugs can also cause memory loss; however, medical experts do not attribute memory loss to caffeine consumption.
Caffeine and Sleep
The Franklin Institute reports that caffeine is connected to memory loss through sleep deprivation. Because caffeine is a nervous system stimulant, excessive consumption can lead to sleeplessness. During sleep the brain converts the day's activities into memories for future recall. Without adequate sleep, the brain doesn't make this conversion and memories aren't formed well.
Testing
In June 2009 "Psychological Reports" published a study conducted by researchers at Hamline University in Minnesota that investigated caffeine's effects on memory loss in college students. Researchers gave subjects either a 200 mg. dose of caffeine or a 250 mg. placebo. Thirty minutes after consumption, researchers tested the subjects using a six-word recall test. The findings indicated that the caffeine group remembered more words than the placebo group.
Protective Effects
In August 2007 "Neurology" reported a study conducted at the University of Paris in France that investigated the effects of caffeine on cognitive decline and dementia on male and female subjects age 65 or older. Subjects drank either one or three cups of coffee and were given memory tests. The results indicated that women who drank three cups of coffee daily experienced reduced cognitive decline when compared to women who consumed no more than one cup of coffee daily. This study suggested that caffeine provides a protective effect against cognitive decline and reduces the rate at which memory loss occurs.
Improving or Maintaining Memory
Improve or maintain your memory by evaluating your current lifestyle habits and making necessary changes. Harvard Medical School reports that people who engage in regular vigorous exercise or physical activity are able to slow cognitive decline and keep their mind sharp well into their "golden years." Adopt healthy eating habits, get plenty of sleep, don't smoke and exercise your brain by reading or completing cross-word puzzles. Don't forget to consume your daily dose of caffeine.
References
- MedlinePlus: Caffeine in the Diet; May 2009
- Harvard Medical School: Preventing Memory Loss;
- The Franklin Institute: The Human Brain
- "Psychological Reports"; Caffeine's Effects on True and False Memory; S. Capek and R.K. Guenther; June 2009
- "Neurology"; The Neuroprotective Effects of Caffeine; K. Ritchie et al.; August 2007
- Drugs.com: Caffeine
