Coffee Flips An 'Ancient' Longevity Switch In Cells, New Study Finds. Here's What This Means For You
A new study published in Microbial Cell found that the caffeine in coffee is what seems to tap into an ancient cellular energy system that contributes to healthy aging.
Additional expert-backed longevity tips include eating nutrient-dense food, exercising regularly, and stimulating your mind as much as possible.
It can feel like you're deep in the matrix when you're kicking back with a cup of coffee and reading yet again about how your go-to drink will boost your health. Well, now there's even more good news for coffee drinkers.
Scientists have just uncovered why coffee is linked to longevity, and it's pretty fascinating. The caffeine in coffee seems to tap into an ancient cellular energy system, revving up more than your mind in the process.
The findings admittedly get a little technical, but they're worth diving into—especially if you can't survive without your daily cup. Here's the deal, according to science.
Meet the experts: Janet M. O'Mahony, MD, a Baltimore-area primary care doctor at Mercy Medical Center; Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy; Bert Mandelbaum, MD, co-director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles
The study was published in the journal Microbial Cell and analyzed the impact of caffeine on fission yeast, which is a single-celled organism that's similar to human cells.
This study builds off of previous research that found caffeine can help cells live longer by turning on a growth regulator called Target of Rapamycin (TOR). TOR tells cells when to grow and controls energy and the body's response to stress.
In the latest study, researchers discovered that caffeine doesn't directly impact TOR. Instead, it goes to work on a cellular fuel gauge called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).
AMPK helps your cells when they're low on energy, and the latest study found that caffeine also helps to give your cells a boost through AMPK. Caffeine's impact on AMPK ultimately sways how your cells grow, repairs their DNA, and even influences their response to stress. All of this is linked to aging, making the caffeine in coffee a seriously good thing for healthy aging.
This study focused on caffeine and, while that's a major component in regular coffee, it's not the only thing. 'Coffee contains a complex mix of bioactive compounds beyond just caffeine,' says Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. 'These include polyphenols like chlorogenic acid, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.'
Coffee may also enhance the function of mitrochondria, aka the powerhouse of the cells, and fat oxidation (the breaking down fat for energy)—and both of these are helpful for reducing your long-term cardiovascular disease risk, Keatley points out.
Research has even linked a coffee habit with a lower risk of developing a slew of serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and some cancers. It may even help lower your risk of depression.
It's important to point out that you don't need to drink coffee if you want to live a long and healthy life—the research doesn't suggest that. Instead, it finds that coffee drinkers also seem to live longer or have traits that support a long, healthy life.
'Do not change your diet or lifestyle based on this kind of information,' says Janet M. O'Mahony, MD, a Baltimore-area primary care doctor at Mercy Medical Center.
But if coffee is already in your life, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends having no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, or about two to three 12-fluid-ounce cups of coffee. (Previous research also links up to three cups of coffee a day with longevity perks.) O'Mahony gives that amount of coffee the thumbs up, too. 'Enjoy your coffee—as long as you are not loading it with sugar,' she says.
A few things, actually. 'Longevity is partly determined by avoiding the major illnesses that cause death and disability,' O'Mahony says. 'So currently, it is more important to be screened for cancer and to treat blood pressure and diabetes that lead to heart disease and stroke.'
Bert Mandelbaum, MD, co-director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, also recommends adding these longevity hacks to your life:
Eat a nutrient-dense diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, while limiting processed foods, excessive sugar, and unhealthy fats.
Exercise regularly, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.
Stimulate your mind by reading, learning a new skill, doing puzzles, and playing strategic games.
Prioritize sleep, aiming to get at least seven hours a night and keeping a consistent bedtime and wake time.
Try to manage stress as best as you can.
And, if you want to consider your daily cup of coffee as part of your healthy aging routine, go for it. Science is heavily leaning that way anyway.
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