Coffee Slows Down the Effects of Aging

Growing old is inevitable, but to some extent, its effects can be avoided. Apparently, a cup of coffee helps.

According to a report from the Stanford University School of Medicine News Center, researchers from the university have discovered an inflammatory mechanism that acts as a driver of cardiovascular diseases, particularly in older people. One possible trigger for this inflammatory process is when metabolites of nucleic acids circulate in the blood stream. However, the team observed that caffeine and its metabolites may counter this.

Lead author David Furman, PhD explained that over 90 percent of noncummunicable diseases of aging are associated with chronic inflammation. It is a contributor in cancers, Alzheimer's, osteoarthritis and many more.

"Our findings show that an underlying inflammatory process, which is associated with aging, is not only driving cardiovascular disease but is, in turn, driven by molecular events that we may be able to target and combat," senior author Mark Davis, PhD added.

However, this inflammatory mechanism is not activated in all older people. In fact, the team discovered that the more caffeine consumed by an individual, the lower the level of inflammation tends to be, suggesting that caffeine and its metabolites counter the actions of the nucleic acid metabolites that drive diseases.

The study was published online in Nature Medicine.

These recent findings support previous research that associate coffee drinking to a reduced risk in various diseases. According to a report from New York Times, a study published in Circulation back in 2015 revealed that nonsmokers who drink one cup of coffee daily showed a 6 percent reduced risk of death. Furthermore, the risk dropped more with an increase intake of coffee. Those who drink one to three cups had an 8 percent reduced risk, three to five cups a 15 percent reduced risk, and over five cups showed an impressive 12 percent reduced risk.