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Caffeine may help cells age more slowly, study suggests
NewsNation • • health
Key Points:
- Research from Queen Mary University of London suggests caffeine activates a cellular "repair and defense" system that helps cells manage stress, repair damage, and age better, according to a June 2025 study published in Microbial Cell.
- The study found caffeine primarily activates AMPK, a conserved cellular energy sensor that triggers responses to low energy, rather than affecting the previously suspected growth control system.
- AMPK is linked to DNA repair, stress response, and aging, and is also influenced by drugs like metformin and rapamycin, which are being studied for their anti-aging potential.
- While the findings provide insight into caffeine’s possible health and longevity benefits, the research was conducted in yeast cells, so it does not directly prove that coffee consumption extends human lifespan.
- Researchers emphasize the importance of further studies to explore how caffeine’s cellular effects might be harnessed through diet, lifestyle, or new medicines for aging and disease prevention.
