There is no doubt that people are living longer now than they did at the beginning of the 20th century. Experts estimate that for each decade of that century, three years were added to the average human lifespan in developed countries.
This means that a person born in 2000 could, on average, live 30 years longer than someone born in 1900, reaching an age of around 80. However, we may have reached an upper limit on human longevity.
In certain countries, including the U.S., the average lifespan has declined slightly in recent years, partly due to our inability to slow the effects of aging, such as frailty, dementia, heart disease and sensory impairments.
Still, scientists continue to explore ways to mitigate the impacts of aging, including high-intensity exercise, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and supplements such as astaxanthin, pyrroloquinoline quinone and grape seed extract. Each of these methods is believed to activate distinct “longevity switches” in the body, potentially extending lifespan.
Recently, however, researchers may have identified the simplest and most ancient longevity switch of all…
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The impact of caffeine on AMPK
We’ve long known about the potential life-lengthening benefits of coffee, including reduced risk of age-related diseases. However, we haven’t been entirely clear on the mechanism behind it all.
A few years ago, researchers at Queen Mary University of London found that caffeine helps cells live longer by acting on a growth regulator called TOR, or Target of Rapamycin. This biological switch, which tells cells when to grow based on the availability of food and energy, has been controlling energy and stress responses in living things for over 500 million years.
In a recent study, the same research team sought to investigate the effect of caffeine on fission yeast, a single-celled organism closely related to human cells. In doing so, they were surprised to learn that caffeine doesn’t act directly on TOR. Instead, it activates the AMPK system, which acts as a sort of cellular energy monitor and is evolutionarily conserved in both yeast and humans.
“When your cells are low on energy, AMPK kicks in to help them cope,” explains Dr. Charalampos (Babis) Rallis of Queen Mary University of London, the study’s senior author. “And our results show that caffeine helps flip that switch.”
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How caffeine supports our cells
Using the yeast model, the researchers demonstrated that caffeine’s effect on AMPK influences how cells grow, repair their DNA and respond to stress. All of these factors are tied to aging and disease.
“These findings help explain why caffeine might be beneficial for health and longevity,” says Dr. John-Patrick Alao, the postdoctoral research scientist leading this study. “And they open up exciting possibilities for future research into how we might trigger these effects more directly — with diet, lifestyle or new medicines.”
Interestingly, AMPK is also a target of metformin, a common diabetes medication being studied in conjunction with the antifungal agent rapamycin for its potential to extend human lifespan.
Clearly, more research is needed before we can definitively say that caffeine helps us live longer. However, we do know that caffeine has several other health benefits.
For instance, caffeine can help you burn more fat while exercising and fight off Alzheimer’s disease. It protects heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation. It can also lead to reduced dementia risk, prevention of the brain deterioration caused by Parkinson’s disease, lower risk of type 2 diabetes and reduced odds of colon cancer recurrence.
With all these positives, it’s safe to say that you’ll want to keep up your morning coffee habit, or adopt one if you don’t currently indulge.
That said, if you find that the caffeine in coffee makes you too jittery, try a cup of green tea instead, as I do. I find the caffeine in green tea to have a much lighter touch. And the antioxidants in green tea may help ward off cancer, protect your eyesight and balance your blood sugar, all things that can go a long way in helping you live a long, healthy life.
Sources:
Scientists reveal your morning coffee flips an ancient longevity switch — ScienceDaily
Dissecting the cell cycle regulation, DNA damage sensitivity and lifespan effects of caffeine in fission yeast — Microbial Cell
Human Longevity May Have Reached its Upper Limit — Scientific American
What doctors wish patients knew about falling U.S. life expectancy — AMA
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