Coffee helps trigger anti-ageing switch in human cells, study shows

[Buster's Uncle]

Coffee helps trigger anti-ageing switch in human cells, study shows
DPA International
Tue, July 29, 2025 at 11:33 AM EDT
2 min read



Coffee, already proven to be a barrier against cognitive decline, is now also believed have anti-ageing properties, researchers say. Bernd Diekjobst/dpa


Coffee not only helps a drinker feel more alert and awake, it also has anti-ageing properties that can flip a switch in human cells, according to scientists at Queen Mary University of London.

"These findings help explain why caffeine might be beneficial for health and longevity," said John-Patrick Alao, whose team’s research was published recently in the journal Microbial Cell.

Following up on prior investigations into coffee's potential for rejuvenation, the researchers claimed to have figured out the "mystery" of how caffeine interacts with genes and proteins inside human cells in a way that is similar to how the diabetes drug metformin operates.

Both caffeine and metformin activate what the researchers described as "a cellular fuel gauge" known as AMPK.

"When your cells are low on energy, AMPK kicks in to help them cope," explained Charalampos Rallis, who researches genetics, genomics and cell biology at Queen Mary University.

"Our results show that caffeine helps flip that switch," Rallis said.

The findings "open up exciting possibilities for future research into how we might trigger these effects more directly — with diet, lifestyle or new medicines," Alao said.

The findings are not the first to show coffee’s potential health benefits for people advancing in years. In 2023, the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published research showing how espresso has the potential to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s by targeting a protein thought to be a cause of the disease.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/coffee-helps-trigger-anti-ageing-153313082.html


One does have to wonder if this isn't partly motivated reasoning, like so many TV news stories about a nip of wine at bedtime being good for you...

[Geo]

Oh well, every couple years there's some new article that this or that product is good for your lifespan.

[Buster's Uncle]

-And it gets in the news because motivated reasoning - not accusing the scientists.