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Some point to caffeine, while others note that coffee is rich in polyphenols — plant compounds with antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage
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Drinking coffee might not just perk you up in the morning — it could even help you live longer, new research suggests. Scientists have found that caffeine — the compound that gives coffee its energising kick — may influence how cells grow, repair themselves, and respond to stress. According to British researchers, this could help explain why coffee is linked to a lower risk of major health conditions like dementia, diabetes, and heart disease. In laboratory tests, a team from Queen Mary University of London discovered that caffeine activates an energy restoration system in cells known as AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase).
AMPK works like a fuel gauge in a car: when a cell’s energy drops too low, AMPK kicks in, triggering processes that help protect and repair the cell. Cells that can better access this system tend to age more slowly, repair DNA more effectively, and cope with stress more efficiently — all of which are linked to slowing down ageing and fighting disease.
Dr John-Patrick Alao, a cell biology expert and lead author of the study, said: “These findings help explain why caffeine might be beneficial for health and longevity.”
He added that the discovery could also pave the way for new drugs or therapies that mimic caffeine’s effect by activating the same system. The research, published in the journal Microbial Cell, involved studying how a type of yeast with similarities to human cells responded to caffeine.
This study adds to a growing body of evidence highlighting coffee’s potential health benefits.
Earlier this month, researchers from Tufts University in Boston found that coffee drinkers tend to have healthier hearts, with those drinking two to three cups of black coffee a day enjoying the biggest benefits — cutting their risk of cardiac death by nearly 20 per cent.
Other studies have linked regular coffee consumption to a lower risk of depression, better liver health, improved weight management, and reduced odds of developing type 2 diabetes and dementia.
Scientists are still working to pinpoint exactly how coffee delivers these health benefits. Some point to caffeine, while others note that coffee is rich in polyphenols — plant compounds with antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage.
However, experts warn that coffee isn’t risk-free.
Some studies have linked excessive coffee consumption to vision problems, an increased risk of certain cancers, and heart issues. The NHS warns that drinking more than four cups a day could dangerously raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and even dementia.
Researchers say part of the challenge is that people drink coffee in many different ways. Studies show that the health impact can vary depending on whether the coffee is instant, filtered or freshly brewed — and on what people add to their coffee, like sugar, milk or flavoured syrups.
Heart disease and dementia — two conditions that coffee may help protect against.
Source: Daily Mail
Read More Here: The drink that could lengthen your lifespan - and is linked to a lower risk of dementia, diabetes and heart disease
