Scientists have long observed that individuals with major psychiatric conditions often show signs of accelerated biological aging.
One of the markers used to study this process is telomere length which is the protective caps on chromosomes that gradually wear down over time.
A Norwegian research team working with the Thematically Organized Psychosis (TOP) Study examined whether daily coffee habits might relate to this cellular marker.
The study published in BMJ Mental Health included 436 adults, among them people diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or psychotic depression.
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Participants provided information about their coffee consumption, smoking history, and other health factors, and blood samples were analyzed to measure telomere length.
Moderation appeared to matter most
According to the report, participants who drank three to four cups of coffee a day tended to have longer telomeres than those who avoided coffee altogether.
After researchers accounted for age, diagnosis, smoking, medication, and demographic factors, this group’s telomere length corresponded to what is typically seen in people several years younger.
However, drinking five or more cups did not appear to offer the same advantage.
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Researchers noted that heavy coffee drinkers in the study also tended to smoke for longer, which may complicate interpretations of the results.
What the findings do and don’t tell us
The authors emphasized that the study is observational, meaning it cannot show whether coffee itself directly slows biological aging.
They also did not assess differences in brew strength, preparation method, or caffeine levels.
Still, they propose that coffee’s well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds may play a role.
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International health agencies generally advise limiting caffeine to the equivalent of about four cups per day, a range that aligns with the intake associated with the most favorable telomere measurements in the study.
Sources: Medical Xpress, and BMJ Mental Health.
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