Who Knew? Coffee is Antidote to Aging!

Latest research tells us that coffee provides protection against inflammation, the culprit behind a number of chronic diseases associated with aging. They include certain cancers, joint disorders and even Alzheimer’s, according to a new study that focused on the cells of coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers. It was found that older people who consumed more caffeine tended to have lower levels of inflammation. Those who drank the equivalent of five or more cups of coffee a day showed very low levels of inflammatory factors in their blood. After studying their gene activity, scientists found that genes linked to inflammation were less active than the same genes in people who didn’t drink as much. The scientists suspect that caffeine turns off the pathway to inflammation almost altogether, being especially beneficial when it comes to combatting cellular aging. Inflammation in older people is not regulated as well as it is in a younger body. Mark Davis, director of the Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection at Stanford University, one of the study’s primary authors, said “clearly, in aging, something is breaking down, and we become less effective at managing this inflammation. “ Caffeine, then, seems to undo some of the disruption caused by aging. Meanwhile, researchers say the key will be to figure out when the inflammatory response starts to spiral out of control. Additional studies are currently being conducted with the hope of analyzing the immune systems of 1,000 people. All in all, a daily jolt of java may be a healthy habit due to its ability to keep heart vessels clear and lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes as well as its cancer-fighting antioxidants. This together with help in combatting aging makes coffee a particularly healthy habit. From: Time, January 30, 2017.