Coffee can slow down biological aging in people with mental disorders

Telomeres can be thought of as protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. They naturally shorten with age, but in people with disorders like schizophrenia, psychosis, and bipolar disorder, this process is faster. It is associated with chronic stress, inflammation, and metabolic disorders in these diseases. Therefore, the researchers decided to find out whether coffee can at least partially compensate for this accelerated aging.

The study involved 436 Norwegian adults with severe mental disorders. They were divided by how much coffee they drink daily: from zero to five or more cups. Then they compared the length of their telomeres, an indicator that helps to assess the rate of cell aging.

The result was unusual: those who drank up to four cups of coffee a day had longer telomeres than those who did not drink coffee at all. But people who drank five or more cups no longer had this effect. The graph turned out to be in the shape of the letter “J”: a small amount of coffee is a benefit, excessive is a lack of effect or even potential harm.

It is important to keep in mind that the majority of the study participants — about 77% — were smokers, and smoking accelerates the elimination of caffeine and affects cell aging itself. However, even after adjusting for age, gender, diagnosis, smoking, and medications, the effect of moderate coffee consumption persisted.

Scientists suggest that this is due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that coffee is rich in. Telomeres are very sensitive to inflammation and oxidative stress, and coffee can reduce the effects of these factors.

However, the study is observational, which means it does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. In addition, the scientists did not know what kind of coffee the participants drank — instant or ground, strong or weak, at what time of the day. This could also affect the results.

Nevertheless, the conclusion remains clear: up to four cups of coffee a day may be associated with slower biological aging in people with severe mental disorders. More does not mean better: exceeding the recommended amount (about 400 mg of caffeine per day) can, on the contrary, increase cellular stress and accelerate telomere shortening.

The study does not provide a reason to consider coffee as a cure for aging, but it adds another detail to the understanding of how everyday habits affect the health of people living with severe mental illness.