| If you're like me, you climb out of bed each morning feeling like a zombie -- until you slug back that first cup of coffee. Turns out that morning jolt may benefit more than just energy levels. It could help slow down the aging process of the body's cells, potentially helping to fend off ailments including cancer and neurodegeneration. Caffeine flips a biological switch in our bodies called AMPK, which monitors our cells' energy levels and, when they're low, tells them to slow down their growth processes and instead focus on repairing damage, according to a paper recently published in the journal Microbial Cell.
In doing so, caffeine inhibits the cellular growth regulator TOR, explains Babis Rallis, the paper’s senior author and a reader in genetics, genomics and fundamental cell biology at Queen Mary University of London. TOR is highly active when we're embryos and fast-growing kids, helping us develop into adults. Once we're older, it will contribute to our body’s ability to, say, renew skin, grow hair and heal wounds. TOR, however, is "pro-aging." When it's too active, it's implicated in problems including metabolic disorders, neurodegeneration, inflammation and cancer, according to Rallis. By studying caffeine's effect on cell growth, Rallis is hoping to get a better handle on some of the factors that promote longevity, a field known as biogerontology. That could inform future research into how we can trigger these virtuous cellular effects through diet, lifestyle and new medicines to achieve healthy aging, he said in an interview.
"We're not saying that you have to take hundreds of pills, like we have seen in the news by certain billionaires," he said. "We mostly try to uncover biological mechanisms and understand how you can then change your habits." So should we all be loading up on coffee in the morning? Maybe not. Rallis is quick to point out some caveats. For one thing, he was studying caffeine's effect in the lab on fission yeast, a single-celled organism that's similar to human cells. There's a big difference between that and the ramifications of me pouring coffee, a beverage containing many compounds, into my body, a complex system that houses trillions of cells. Plus, there are drawbacks to consuming too much caffeine and some people should avoid the stimulant altogether. When it comes to longevity, Rallis -- a native Greek -- subscribes to the ancient wisdom of the poet Cleobulus of Lindos, who may have coined the phrase "everything in moderation." He points to activities like exercise and socializing that are also linked to healthy aging. So perhaps you should enjoy that cup of coffee with a friend, after taking a brisk walk to your favorite neighborhood cafe. —Tim Loh |
