New research indicates that drinking coffee may protect against deteriorating eyesight and even blindness. [s]Medical News Today[/s] reports that researchers from [b]Cornell University[/b] found that each raw coffee bean contains around 7-9% chlorogenic acid (CGA) – an antioxidant that has been associated with many health benefits, such as weight loss and reduction of blood pressure. Past studies have also indicated that CGA may be a powerful neuroprotectant, and there has been great interest in identifying neuroprotective compounds that block hypoxia – deprivation of oxygen in areas of the body. The researchers say: ‘This study shows that CGA and coffee extract are responsible for reduction of retinal ganglion cells apoptosis induced by hypoxia and nitric oxide. Therefore, coffee consumption may provide additional health benefits by preventing retinal degeneration.’
The research joins a slew of recent studies around coffee, [s]Medical News Today[/s] points out. A 2014 study suggested that drinking two or more cups of coffee a day may reduce liver cirrhosis death risk, while another found that high coffee intake may help against prostate cancer. However, a 2013 study published in [s]Mayo Clinic Proceedings[/s] associated the consumption of four cups of coffee a day with a risk of early death, while other research suggests that men who drink two cups of coffee a day are more likely to have urinary incontinence.
[link url=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276519.php]Full Medical News Today report[/link]
[link url=http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf4046232?prevSearch=Cornell%2BUniversity&searchHistoryKey=]Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry abstract[/link]