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Coffee: Your Secret Weapon Against Mental Illness Aging?
6 Dec
Summary
- Moderate coffee intake linked to younger biological age.
- Three to four cups daily show benefits for mental illness patients.
- Excessive coffee (over four cups) offers no benefit, increases stress.
A recent study suggests that moderate coffee consumption, specifically three to four cups per day, could play a role in slowing biological aging for individuals diagnosed with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and psychotic depression. Researchers observed that this level of intake was associated with longer telomeres, which are markers of cellular aging, potentially contributing to a younger biological age.
This finding is particularly significant as individuals with severe mental illnesses often experience a shortened lifespan, partly due to accelerated age-related diseases. The study proposes that coffee's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help protect cells from wear and tear, counteracting the faster telomere shortening typically seen in this population.
However, the benefits were not observed with excessive consumption; drinking more than four cups daily was linked to increased cellular stress. Health experts emphasize this is an observational study and that further research is needed to confirm a direct causal link, while also cautioning against overconsumption due to potential negative effects on sleep and heart health.
