Biologia

Mental abilities: Caffeine helps women, but not men, stay sharp
By Nicholas Bakalar
The caffeine in the three cups of coffee or tea a day may help maintain mental sharpness in older women, but caffeine consumption appears to have no effect in men. French researchers studied more than 7000 men and women with an average age of 74, following them over four years. They determined coffee and tea intake by interviews, accepted tests of visual skills and verbal recall. They also recorded information on education, income, depression, an alcohol and tobacco use, among other factors.
After controlling for other variables, the scientist found that women at age 65 who drank three or more cups of coffee or tea a day were about one – third less likely to have a significant decline in verbal skills than those who drank a cup or less. By age 85, they were 70 percent less likely to suffer those deficits compared with women who drank less than a cup of coffee or tea. There were not enough cases to defect an effect on Alzheimer’s disease.
Karen Ritchie, the lead author and a research director with the French National Institute for Health, and Medical Research, said it was unclear why caffeine had no effect in men. It may be that men and women metabolized caffeine differently or that there is a hormonal interaction.
In any case, she continued, please don’t rush out and start drinking coffee. To suddenly start drinking large quantities of coffee is still really premature as a preventive measure.

Parte superior do formulário
Habilidades mentais: Cafeína ajuda as mulheres, mas não os homens, ficar afiado
Por Nicholas Bakalar
A cafeína nas três xícaras de café ou chá por dia pode ajudar a manter a agudeza mental em mulheres mais velhas, mas o consumo de cafeína parece não ter efeito em homens. Pesquisadores franceses estudaram mais de 7.000 homens e mulheres com uma idade média de 74 anos, seguindo-os ao longo de quatro anos. Eles determinaram ingestão de café e chá por