Tea or coffee: the impact of energy drinks on the deterioration of brain activity has been assessed

Who was more likely to have memory and thinking problems in old age

Three cups of coffee a day is associated with the decline in brain function that many people experience in old age, but tea may help prevent this effect.

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Too much coffee may accelerate the cognitive decline that many people experience in older age, while how tea can help prevent it, study finds.

As the Daily Mail reports, researchers who looked at data from thousands of Britons found that those who drank more than three cups of coffee a day were more likely to have problems years later with memory, thinking and decision-making skills.

Those who either did not drink coffee or drank fewer than three cups a day had a slower decline in cognitive ability.

Some studies have previously suggested that caffeine has health benefits, including reducing the risk of stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes.

However, researchers from Murdoch University in Perth say their findings suggest there is such a thing as too much coffee.

Some scientists have suggested that the effect may be due to sleep loss caused by consuming too much caffeine.

The study, presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, examined mentally healthy adults over 60 who recorded their tea and coffee consumption and any mental health issues they had experienced over the past ten years.

More than half of respondents said they drink one to three cups of coffee a day, while a quarter of respondents do not drink any and only 18% drink four or more cups of coffee.

When it comes to daily tea consumption, only 15% of respondents said they never drank it, 38% drank between one and three cups, and 47% admitted to drinking four or more cups, the Daily Mail reports. Although those respondents who drank more than three cups of coffee a day had higher rates of cognitive decline, this does not mean they had developed dementia, but they were more likely to have difficulty thinking, learning, or remembering things.

Dementia, the Daily Mail explains, is an umbrella term used to describe a number of progressive neurological disorders, or conditions that affect the brain. There are many different types of dementia, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease. Some people may have a combination of more than one type of dementia. Regardless of which type of dementia is diagnosed, each person experiences dementia differently.

Dementia is a global problem, but it is most common in wealthier countries where people are more likely to live to a ripe old age, the Daily Mail reports.

The Alzheimer's Society reports that there are currently more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK, with around two in three of those affected by Alzheimer's. The number of people with dementia in the UK is expected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040. There are an estimated 5.5 million people with Alzheimer's in the US, with a similar percentage increase expected in the coming years.

The risk of developing dementia increases with age. Diagnosis rates are improving, but many people with dementia are thought to still be undiagnosed. There is currently no cure for dementia, the Daily Mail reports. But new drugs can slow the progression of the disease, and the earlier it is detected, the more effective the treatment will be.