Enjoying a few cups of coffee each day could do more than just wake you up—it might actually slow down your body's internal ageing clock. Groundbreaking research suggests that consuming three to four cups of coffee daily can slow biological ageing, making regular drinkers biologically younger than their non-coffee-drinking counterparts.
The Science Behind Coffee and Cellular Youth
The secret lies in our telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of our chromosomes that function similarly to the plastic tips on shoelaces. Telomere shortening is a natural part of the ageing process, but scientists believe the powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found in coffee may help preserve their length.
A comprehensive study published in the British Medical Journal tracked 436 Norwegian individuals with diagnosed mental health conditions for an impressive 11-year period. Participants, who suffered from conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with psychosis, were asked about their daily coffee consumption as part of the Norwegian Thematically Organised Psychosis (TOP) study conducted between 2007 and 2018.
The Sweet Spot for Coffee Consumption
Researchers categorised participants into four groups based on their daily intake: zero cups, 1-2 cups, 3-4 cups, and five or more cups. The results were striking. Compared to those who drank no coffee, participants consuming up to 3-4 cups daily showed significantly longer telomeres. Those enjoying a four-cup daily habit demonstrated telomere lengths comparable to being biologically five years younger than non-coffee drinkers, even after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, tobacco use, type of mental ill health and drug treatment.
However, the study revealed a crucial limit. The protective effect disappeared entirely for participants drinking five or more cups daily, aligning with current UK guidelines that recommend consuming no more than four cups of coffee per day.
Understanding the Mechanisms and Limitations
Dr Monica Aas of King's College London, the study's author, explained the biological reasoning: "Telomeres are highly sensitive to both oxidative stress and inflammation, further highlighting how coffee intake could help preserve cellular ageing in a population whose pathophysiology may be predisposing them to an accelerated rate of ageing."
She also issued a important warning: "Consuming more than the daily recommended amount of coffee may also cause cellular damage and telomere shortening through the formation of reactive oxygen species."
Researchers acknowledged that as an observational study, it cannot definitively prove that coffee alone caused the beneficial impact on telomeres. Nevertheless, the findings add to growing evidence about coffee's health benefits when consumed in moderation.
The research follows another observational study that suggested morning coffee drinkers were 16% less likely to have died over a decade compared to non-coffee drinkers, and 31% less likely to have died from heart disease, indicating that timing might also play a role in maximising coffee's health benefits.
