Key Takeaways

When it comes to brain health, coffee boasts numerous benefits, including reducing your risk of neurodegenerative disease while improving memory, focus, and learning. However, there are some limitations to consider as caffeine sensitivities, consumption amounts, and brewing methods can potentially reverse these benefits, even causing unwanted effects in some cases. 

Here we’ll look at both the pros and cons of coffee as it pertains to cognitive health, including an exploration of functional coffees containing adaptogens, nootropics, and more. 

• Coffee boosts brain health by improving focus and alertness, enhancing memory, protecting the structure of your brain, reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, etc. 
  
• Drinking too much coffee, consuming unfiltered coffee regularly, and caffeine sensitivities can actually hinder brain health.
  
• Functional coffees such as those containing adaptogenic mushrooms, nootropics, collagen, etc. can provide even greater support for brain health, including benefits like disease protection, inflammation reduction, improved memory, mental clarity, focus, and so much more.

Every brew you make and every sip you take…

Every single day, every mug you make…

…Your brain is affected!

You thought I was going to say I’ll be watching you, didn't you! 

Sorry, no performances by The Police today, but I couldn’t help but think of these lyrics when pondering the brain boosting effects of coffee. 

You’ve likely heard - from Lifeboost and many other sources - that coffee boasts multiple benefits which serve to enhance your health in a variety of ways. 

So, every sip you take, every mug you enjoy…these aren’t just tasty pleasures which enhance your day, they can also be powerful additions to a healthy lifestyle.

And, these boosts (pertaining to your brain and otherwise) are largely due to the fact that coffee contains bioactive compounds, including antioxidants, nutrients, and more.

Of course, as the title above suggests, we’ll be focusing on those benefits related to cognitive health today, but as you may have heard, not all of coffee’s beneficial qualities serve your brain. 

For instance, caffeine has antioxidant properties which greatly benefit your brain, but these benefits can be limited. In other words, the caffeine component of coffee isn’t always supportive. 

Hmmm, sounds confusing. 

Which is it, does coffee benefit your brain or not? 

In short - yes!

But, there’s much more to it than that. 

So, we’d love for you to join us as we explore coffee and cognitive health, where we’ll look at the pros and the cons of coffee as it pertains to the health of your brain. 

We’ll even do a hype check, looking into functional coffee, examining how these trendy brews affect your brain!

Coffee And Cognitive Health - Pros, Cons, & More

The benefits associated with coffee are typically approached as an ad - what can coffee do for you? 

Do you need improved focus, memory, and brain health protection? Have a cup of coffee!

And, while this is technically true of clean, organically grown, toxin-free java, it doesn’t exactly paint a full picture. 

In fact, such blanket statements might even mislead some people, as folks may find their bodies react adversely beyond a certain number of cups due to components like caffeine. 

This is why we’d like to do a deep dive into the science backed benefits of coffee as it pertains to your brain, looking at the wonderful ways your brew can serve your brain as well as a few notes to consider regarding the potential cons researchers have discovered. 

First, let’s take a look at the good news, listing the benefits of coffee for cognitive health.

1- Protects The Structure Of Your Brain

There are many ways coffee can protect your brain, most of which stem from the antioxidant content of your brew. 

The antioxidants found in coffee serve your brain by combating damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. 

The caffeine component of coffee also serves to protect your brain against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Here, caffeine works by attaching to molecules on the surface of neurons which causes the molecule to decrease proteins known to accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. 

An interesting note here, similar studies concluded these benefits were only found to be associated with moderate coffee consumption, not tea. 

This has led researchers to believe the other components of coffee, besides caffeine, provide similar brain protection.

2- Shields Against Inflammation In the Brain

Another beneficial component of coffee is trigonelline. 

This natural plant alkaloid serves to protect the blood vessels in your brain, restores chemical levels needed for neurotransmitter function, and aids in multiple areas of cognitive functioning. 

Though specifically associated with memory loss that occurs with age, trigonelline also reduces levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain. 

Reducing neuroinflammation has been found to reduce the progression of disease, improve mood and overall mental health, enhance all areas of cognitive function, and more.

3- Improves Focus, Boosts Alertness

Moderate coffee consumption has been linked to significant increases in mental alertness. 

You’ve likely experienced this on a groggy morning where you find your daily cup provides not only energy but a mental sharpness you couldn’t have imagined experiencing prior to those glorious sips. 

This benefit is generally associated with coffee’s caffeine content, as this component of your brew stimulates your central nervous system, blocking adenosine receptors in your brain. 

When adenosine builds up in your brain, it can make you feel tired. Caffeine binds to these receptors thereby increasing the ac tivity of neurotransmitters associated with feeling excited. 

So, while you certainly feel more alert due to this interaction, you’ll also experience improved focus and attention.

4- Improves Memory

Some studies attribute the caffeine component of coffee to improvements in memory, this research suggesting “that caffeine may have a significant positive effect on both short-term and long-term memory.”

We mentioned above that caffeine also works by blocking adenosine receptors, and when this occurs, dopamine and norepinephrine are released, aiding in both pattern recognition and memory consolidation. 

5- Boosts Overall Brain Function

Between blocking adenosine receptors, providing neuroprotective benefits, and stimulating neurotransmitters, coffee boosts overall cognitive function. 

The caffeine component of coffee, in particular, has been shown to increase ‘resting brain entropy.’ 

This is crucial to overall brain function, and combined with the benefits mentioned above, altogether, coffee has been found to improve: 

• Mood
  
• Attention
  
• Alertness
  
• Focus
  
• Reaction time
  
• Learning
  
• Overall brain health and function
  

Now for the cons. 

I wouldn’t exactly call this bad news, but only examining the pros doesn’t tell the full story. 

What scientists have come to find regarding coffee and brain health is that your daily cup(s) may come with limitations. 

So, if you’re looking to boost brain health through your daily dose of coffee, here’s a few things to consider:

• Some individuals are very sensitive to caffeine, so much so that sleep is negatively affected even with normal morning sipping and an extra dose of caution regarding afternoon or evening indulgence. 

And, when sleep is disrupted, this can “cause problems with learning, focusing, and reacting.” 

In other words, for those sensitive to caffeine, while cognitive health improvements may be sought through moderate coffee consumption, the negative effects of caffeine on sleep could produce negative outcomes. 

• Researchers have found the amount of coffee you drink matters greatly when it comes to brain health. 

Here, studies have linked heavy coffee consumption (more than 6 cups per day) with smaller total brain volume, particularly in the hippocampus, which is responsible for short and long term memory. 

Heavy coffee drinkers (again, this description referring to consuming more than 6 cups a day) were also found to have a 53% higher risk of dementia no matter whether they drank regular or decaf coffee. 

While experts do not believe these findings mean you should ditch your daily coffee habit, they do advise enjoying your brew in moderation, simply avoiding excess. 

• Some studies have also found brewing methods to change the effect coffee has on the health of your brain and body. 

Here, some studies have shown unfiltered brewing methods (such as a French press) to potentially raise LDL (bad) cholesterol. 

When hot coffee is prepared without a filter, this causes the coffee to retain oils (diterpenes such as cafestol and kahweol) which interfere with how your body regulates cholesterol, potentially leading to high levels of LDL cholesterol. 

High levels of LDL cholesterol are linked to poor vascular health which negatively affects blood flow to your brain. 

Overall, occasional cups of unfiltered coffee don’t seem to be alarming, so again, moderate consumption is key. 

Of course, there are more things to consider regarding coffee and brain health, especially in today’s day and time as it’s not uncommon to stack or compound items when we’re seeking to optimally serve our bodies. 

Sometimes we accomplish this by adding items to brewed coffee, but this can also be achieved pre-brew. 

So, let’s shift our focus now to examine such items, looking at functional coffees and what they can add to traditional brews, specifically pertaining to cognitive health.

No Special Effects - Only Real Functional Coffee Benefits

Special effects in movies really draw me in. What about you? 

For instance, in Game of Thrones, the dragons…phenomenal, the giants…amazing, the nightwalkers…so realistic!

From earth-splitting scenes in Stranger Things, to dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and life-saving space trips in Armageddon, special effects deliver a wow-factor beyond the realm of human possibility. 

In fact, this is exactly what special effects are, by definition - techniques or effects used in media to create illusions which cannot be achieved within the bounds of reality. 

What does this have to do with coffee? 

I’m glad you asked. :)

Sometimes the benefits of foods and beverages seem too good to be true, especially when these whole foods (like coffee) are improved with additions like functional mushrooms and nootropics. 

These additions can even seem unrealistic or beyond human capability - special effects, if you will. 
But, when it comes to real foods (or in this case, beverages), there’s no need for a green screen, no point in mechanics, and well, CGI can simply take a hike.

Because when we’re dealing with real foods and how they interact with real bodies, science wins every time. 

So, we’d like to close things out with a second look at coffee and cognitive health, here examining the compounded benefits of those brews which incorporate a few extras…no humanly impossible special effects, just amplified benefits!

Cognition Coffee 

What is Lifeboost Cognition Coffee? 

Our Cognition Coffee begins with our single origin, sustainably grown, 3rd party tested, mold-free, toxin-free medium roast coffee. 
This smooth, clean, customer-favorite is then infused with a combination of lion’s mane and chaga mushroom extracts. 

Eight times more potent than ordinary mushroom coffee, these extracts add the following benefits to the cognitive health boosts we covered above.

• Compounds found in lion’s mane stimulate both the growth and repair of nerve cells for optimal brain health. 
• Research has shown daily consumption of lion’s mane to enhance memory, even yielding improvements on test scores. 
• “Preclinical studies suggest lion’s mane may reduce inflammation and biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease…”
• Lion’s mane has also been shown to improve mental clarity, reduce brain fog, and enhance focus. 
• This adaptogen stimulates nerve growth factor production which serves to sharpen your focus and improve clarity. 
• Lifeboost Cognition Coffee’s lion’s mane source contains high levels of beta glucans, and such levels are commonly known to reduce neuroinflammation. 
• Studies have shown chaga mushrooms “help reduce plaque buildup linked to Alzheimer's." 
• In animal testing, chaga mushrooms improved both learning and memory in mice. 
• Chaga mushrooms have been shown to effectively reduce free radicals which are known to cause damage to the nerves in the brain. 
• Chaga promotes mental clarity by aiding in your body’s ability to manage stress. 

Basically, Cognition Coffee takes a traditional brew’s brain health boosting qualities and amplifies these through a functional boost, brought to you by lion’s mane and chaga!

Mindflow

Mindflow is our new instant coffee, a premium brew infused with clean nootropics, adaptogens, and collagen. 

This convenient and tasty coffee was made with health in mind, including the health of your brain. 

Take a look at the components of Mindflow, specifically noting how this powerhouse mixture can boost cognitive health:

• Alpha-GPC, a highly available form of choline studied for its role in supporting memory, attention, and neurotransmitter activity. 
• CognatiQ Coffee Fruit Extract, a patented whole coffee fruit extract shown in clinical research to increase brain-derived nootropic factor, a protein tied to brain connectivity and resilience. 
• Lion’s Mane and Chaga Mushrooms, which are traditionally used to support overall cognitive function, as we’ve just seen in our Cognition Coffee.
• Grass-Fed Collagen, a fantastic source of structural proteins which help to maintain healthy tissues (yes, even in your brain). 
•  ElectroPrime Electrolytes, a clean source of essential minerals that aid in hydration and nerve signaling, helping you to maintain mental performance under stress. 
• In other words, great tasting coffee and powerful benefits extending beyond the brew!
  

So, to recap, when it comes to coffee, a traditional (clean, toxin-free, organic) cup will bring you multiple brain boosting benefits, including:

- Improved memory (short and long term memory)
- Better focus 
- Increased alertness
- Protection against neurodegenerative diseases
- Improved learning
- Better overall brain function

Then, Lifeboost Cognition Coffee, due to the addition of lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms, enhances these cognitive rewards through the following benefits: 

- Memory improvement (especially in those individuals already experiencing cognitive decline)
- Stimulates the growth and repair of nerve cells 
- Reduces inflammation and disease markers
- Improves mental clarity and focus
- Protects against cognitive decline 
- Reduces inflammation (neuroinflammation)
- Combats oxidative stress and free radical damage

And, Mindflow, our instant coffee and functional coffee supplement, brings you:

- Memory support
- Enhanced neurotransmitter activity
- Improved attention
- Better brain connectivity and improved resilience
- Improvements across all cognitive functions 
- Support for the tissues within your brain
- Essential minerals which aid in proper hydration to support mental performance, even under stress

So then, is the hype real?

Coffee has long been lauded for its brain boosting benefits, but the recent trend surrounding cognitive brews enhanced with adaptogens (and more) certainly seems to take cognitive health to the next level.  

And as you’ve seen today, the evidence is clear, with coffee and enhanced coffees, such as our cognitive-focused brews, showing a powerful win in the cognitive health category!

So, here’s to better brain health and clean cognitive boosts…with every mug you make, and every sip you take!

FAQ

1- Does mushroom coffee taste like mushrooms? 

While this varies widely between brands, Lifeboosters have repeatedly conveyed a love for Lifeboost Cognition Coffee. 

Most report a smooth taste, a lack of bitterness (an adversity which can be commonly found in mushroom coffees), and a truly delicious flavor. 

2- What is considered moderate coffee consumption? 

Moderate coffee consumption is typically detailed as 1-4 (8 oz) cups of coffee per day. 

This is commonly deemed the “sweet spot” for most of the health benefits associated with coffee. 

As noted in this article, the negative effects of coffee as it pertains to cognitive health are generally seen in individuals consuming 6 or more cups daily.

Mindflow Instant Coffee

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Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Becky Livingston Vance Content writer

Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.