Coffee, Tea and Other Caffeine Sources May Counter Aging, Inflammation

A new connection between caffeine consumption and systemic inflammation was discovered by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine. Their study also pointed out the relationship between inflammation and human aging as well as the diseases that go with it, while the effects of caffeine on these components were also recognized.

In the Stanford Medicine comprehensive study on inflammation and aging, blood samples, as well as family and medical backgrounds, were collected from over 100 human participants. The analysis revealed that an inflammatory mechanism goes with aging and the health conditions that come with it. According to the findings, the metabolites of nucleic acids circulating in the bloodstream can bring on the inflammatory process. In turn, this can contribute to the onset of cardiovascular disease and to increased mortality rates.

In a statement by consulting associate professor David Furman about their study published in Nature, he emphasized the link between aging and inflammation.

"More than 90 percent of all noncommunicable diseases of aging are associated with chronic inflammation," said Furman, who works at the Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection.

As found in over 1,000 studies, chronic inflammation has been linked to numerous types of cancers, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis, among others. The study carried out by the Stanford researchers offer evidence that the effects of caffeine could counter the inflammation process as it may negate the action of the metabolites. This could then provide an explanation as to why individuals who consume coffee are likely to live longer than those who do not.

"Our findings show that an underlying inflammatory process, which is associated with aging, is not only driving cardiovascular disease but is, in turn, driven by molecular events that we may be able to target and combat," explained Mark Davis, a professor of microbiology and immunology and the director of the Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection.

All in all, the effects of caffeine were shown in a positive light. The results showed that people taking in a larger amount of caffeinated products, such as coffee, tea, and soda, experienced fewer bouts of inflammation. Also, a higher level of caffeine in the blood was associated with a lower product of 1L-1B and other inflammatory molecules.

"That something many people drink - and actually like to drink - might have a direct benefit came as a surprise to us," said Davis. “What we’ve shown is a correlation between caffeine consumption and longevity."

While the effects of caffeine could be beneficial to aging, the researchers are yet to come up with a direct and causal link across aging, inflammation and caffeine consumption on which recommendations can be made.

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coffee, caffeine, aging, inflammation

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