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There are various opinions about coffee. Some emphasize the positive aspects of the drink, while others bring up its negative effects. A new research report revealed that drinking coffee helps slow down cell aging in adults with serious mental health issues. The findings were published in the journal BMJ Mental Health. The researchers looked at telomere length, which indicates biological aging, to investigate this relationship. The results showed that individuals who drank a moderate amount of coffee each day had longer telomeres. The largest gap was found between those who do not drink coffee and those who have three to four cups daily. Some coffee drinkers even had telomeres that indicated they were biologically about five years younger than those who do not drink coffee. People with serious mental disorders often have a shorter expected lifespan due to a higher likelihood of age-related diseases such as heart disease and cancer. This has led researchers to speculate that biological aging happens faster in this group, commonly assessed by telomere length, which naturally decreases with age.
Multiple studies indicate that individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder generally have shorter telomeres compared to healthy people, though the precise reason for this is unknown. Since telomeres are influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors, scientists are interested in how diet affects them, including the intake of coffee. Although those with serious mental conditions often intake more caffeine than the general population, this is the first research to directly examine the relationship between coffee consumption and telomere length in schizophrenia and mood disorders. The research involved 436 adults diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum or mood disorders from four psychiatric facilities in Norway. Those with neurological conditions, severe brain injuries, or illnesses affecting brain function were left out. Qualified clinicians carried out diagnostic interviews, while medication use was monitored through health records. Participants reported their coffee intake in four categories: none, one to two cups, three to four cups, and five or more cups each day. Their smoking history and status were also documented. Researchers measured telomere length from blood samples, presenting it as a ratio of telomere to single-copy genes, which they converted into estimated biological aging years.
Participants mainly varied by age and their history of smoking within different coffee drinking categories. Individuals who drank five or more cups each day were typically older and had smoked for longer durations compared to the other groups. Coffee consumption did not change based on gender or the use of medications, however, those diagnosed with schizophrenia generally consumed more coffee than those with mood disorders. Most of the participants were smokers, with an average tobacco use of nine years. The analysis showed a unique pattern: telomere length increased with coffee consumption up to three to four cups per day, but did not increase further. The most significant difference was seen between those who did not drink coffee and the group consuming three to four cups. Those with moderate coffee intake had longer telomeres, while those who consumed five or more cups did not benefit as much. In general, individuals drinking between one and four cups daily appeared to be biologically about five years younger than those who did not consume coffee. These results were consistent regardless of their diagnosis or gender, showing similar effects across both men and women, and within both schizophrenia and mood disorder categories.
The study indicates that moderate coffee drinking might be associated with a reduction in cellular aging for people dealing with serious mental health issues, following an inverted J-shape trend. This suggests that the positive effects are highest with moderate intake but may lessen or vanish with very high amounts. Possible reasons for these effects could include the antioxidants in coffee that help lower inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as caffeine's role in influencing telomerase, the enzyme that protects telomeres. These findings are especially significant for individuals with schizophrenia and mood disorders, where faster aging is often seen.
The study has some limitations, such as depending on individuals to report their coffee intake, not having details on where caffeine comes from or what type of coffee was consumed, and lacking information on markers of inflammation or oxidative stress. In conclusion, the research points out the potential advantages of moderate coffee consumption but also cautions against potential risks tied to very high intake, emphasizing the need to keep track of caffeine consumption among those with serious mental health disorders.
