What your morning coffee really does to your brain
Your morning coffee is good for you - if you drink it at the right time.
05 May, 2020
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
- Caffeine, the main stimulant found in coffee, works on a chemical level to give you energy by replacing the biochemical adenosine, which makes you tired.
- There are many health benefits to caffeine, such as a boost in metabolism and an increase in physical performance/muscle strength.
- To get the most positive impacts of your daily caffeine intake, drink coffee between 10 in the morning and 12 noon or between 2 in the afternoon and 5 in the evening.
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.streetdirectory.com/food_editorials/beverages/coffee/coffee_consumption_around_the_world.html" target="_blank">International Coffee Organization</a> (ICO), the world pours about 1.4 billion cups of coffee per day. This might explain why you rely so heavily on your Keurig every morning or why you stop at Starbucks on the way to work even though you're already running late.</p><p>How does your morning coffee really impact your brain? Most importantly, are there certain times of the day where your latte-caffeine boost is better for your health?</p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
Your brain on coffee
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b7784d7ec18a202dd02c5c97e1499d4"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YOwEqGykDM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine" target="_blank">Caffeine</a>, the main stimulant in coffee, works on a chemical level to give you a boost of energy. However, caffeine is structurally similar to another chemical naturally created in the body, called <a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1067/adenosine" target="_blank">adenosine</a>, which makes you tired.</p><p>Some substances imitate natural neurotransmitters and can take their place in receptors. For example, morphine can bind to the receptors in the brain meant for your endorphins (which is a natural kind of 'morphine' produced by your brain). </p><p><strong>Caffeine replaces adenosine, which builds your adrenaline and causes dopamine to linger longer.</strong></p><p>Similar to how morphine binds to endorphin receptors, the caffeine in your morning coffee binds to your brain's adenosine receptors, preventing the biochemical from making you tired. </p><p>Caffeine also builds your adrenaline supply which increases your heart rate and allows blood to pump faster. At the same time, caffeine prevents dopamine from being reabsorbed into your system, which allows it to linger in the brain for a longer amount of time, causing you to feel it's positive effects (such as happiness) for a longer amount of time. </p><p>This lingering of dopamine is what often triggers the brain to crave more caffeine. After all, while dopamine itself <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-who-stray/201701/no-dopamine-is-not-addictive" target="_blank">isn't inherently addictive</a>, it does play a large role in many addictions. </p><p><strong>More coffee means more adenosine receptors which means more coffee...</strong></p><p>The brain is a complex and intricate system. The more coffee you drink, the more adenosine receptors are formed, meaning it can take more coffee to keep you awake now than it did when you started drinking coffee as a young adult. </p><p><strong>According to<a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2390099/overdosing-caffeine" target="_blank">research</a>, caffeine has a half-life of around 6 hours. </strong></p><p>Within the first 10 minutes, the caffeine enters your bloodstream and is pumped throughout your body, causing an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. </p><p>Up to 20 minutes after intake, caffeine binds to the adenosine receptors, neutralizing fatigue. Dopamine levels increase and linger, which provides the drinker with an alert and focused feeling. </p><p>Within 30 minutes, your adrenal glands shift into high gear and begin producing more hormones. During this time your vision may become sharper due to your pupils dilating. </p><p>Within 40 minutes, your body begins producing more serotonin, which improves the neuron function within your spinal cord - this leads to improved coordination and muscle strength. </p><p>After 4 hours, your metabolism increases, which is why you burn energy faster. Your body begins to break down stored fats during this time. </p><p>Within 6 hours, the liquid coffee has gone through your system and you will likely feel the urge to urinate, during which time approximately half the caffeine you consumed is expelled. </p>How to make your coffee habit benefit you
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzIxMTYwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTg1MDUzMH0.WurPbO0oMxESAMOAyKVawD9TfwtYQhmmF0VjgWhXX7w/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C72%2C0%2C72&height=700" id="cca79" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3a409121a158d78aba0b22335d00f702" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="concept of coffee time coffee cup on blank background with clock" />What time of day you drink your coffee can mean the difference between a good habit and a bad habit.
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<p>Of course, with anything caffeinated, moderation is key. When consumed in excess, caffeine can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, and sleeping problems.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/too-much-caffeine/" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a>, up to 400mg of caffeine per day (which equals two to four 8 ounce cups) can be part of a healthy diet, however anything over 600mg per day is too much. </p><p><strong>What are the health benefits of coffee? </strong></p><p>Despite what you may have been told, there are several ways your daily caffeine intake is good for you. Not only can coffee improve your energy levels, but it can cause your brain to function <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee#section1" target="_blank">at optimal levels</a>, making you smarter. </p><p><u>Some other health benefits of coffee include: </u></p><ul><li>Boosting your metabolism</li><li>Improving your physical performance </li><li>Helping you with your nutrient intake (the vitamins B2, B3, B5, manganese, and potassium are all found in coffee)</li><li>Lowering your risk of developing type 2 diabetes</li><li>Helping fight depression symptoms and make you happier </li><li>Providing a source of antioxidants </li></ul><p><strong>Consuming caffeine when cortisol levels are high decreases the health benefits.</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol" target="_blank">Cortisol</a>, a naturally-occurring stress hormone, has a very distinct circadian rhythm that is regulated by the brain's central pacemaker. Interrupting this rhythm can lead to metabolic abnormalities, fatigue, and poor quality of life, according to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19223520" target="_blank">a 2009 study</a> published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. </p><p>Consuming caffeine when your cortisol levels are at a natural peak can lead to interference in the production of cortisol and an increase in your tolerance, which can impact your response to stress and will cause to you need more and more caffeine as time goes on.</p><p><strong>When is the best time to drink coffee?</strong></p><p>The cortisol levels in your body are at a natural peak three times per day, one of which is in the early morning. According to <a href="https://time.com/3903826/coffee-early-morning-worst-time/" target="_blank">this article in Time Magazine</a>, the best times to drink coffee (or ingest caffeine) are between 10 in the morning and 12 noon, and then again between 2 in the afternoon and 5 in the evening. </p><p>This will allow your brain to make the most of your caffeine surge, as it's not replacing any other important functions, such as the cortisol release that naturally happens several times per day. </p>
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Scientists Discover Why Your Brain Can't Block Out Unwanted Thoughts
A new study explains why some people seem to be better than others at ridding their minds of intrusive thoughts.
08 November, 2017
<p></p><p dir="ltr"><em>"Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute."</em></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><em>— Fyodor Dostoevsky, Winter Notes on Summer Impressions</em></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr">Chances are you’ve heard this game before in some form, maybe with a pink elephant instead of a polar bear. And though it’s just a game, the similar phenomenon of being unable to rid your mind of intrusive thoughts can pose serious dangers to mental health, and it’s a hallmark <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/depression-management-techniques/201604/rumination-problem-in-anxiety-and-depression" target="_blank">symptom of psychiatric disorders</a> like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia.</p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><span>What’s going on in the brain when you’re trying to clear unwanted thoughts from your mind?</span></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><span><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODM0MTEwMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzODI0NzE2OH0.yq2UKtkrmXXv-_-Gkf8dnU0Nr63710PSZ5mJxTw55FQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="89306" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e948811032233638384205e9076d40d2" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><br></span></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr">Scientists just got much closer to the answer, it seems. A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-00956-z" target="_blank">study</a> published in the journal <em>Nature</em> by researchers at the University of Cambridge details how people with higher concentrations of the amino acid neurotransmitter GABA in their brain’s hippocampal region tend to be better at blocking unwanted thoughts, images and memories.</p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><em>"What's exciting about this is that now we're getting very specific," said study coauthor Michael Anderson <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/health-41847030" target="_blank">to BBC News</a>. "Before, we could only say 'this part of the brain acts on that part', but now we can say which neurotransmitters are likely to be important."</em></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In the study, participants were asked to memorize pairs of unrelated words — for example, moss/north or ordeal/roach. Then the researchers presented participants with two lights: one red, one green. Participants were asked to recall the associated memories when the light was green, and suppress memories when it was red without engaging in any distracting activity or thought pattern. "<span>Whenever a memory intruded into awareness, they were asked to 'push it out of mind.'," write the study authors.<span> </span></span></span></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Meanwhile, participants’ brains were monitored with both functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which measures chemical changes in the brain.</span></p> <p></p><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="68ab0400743a1205b4af1b4e2ea8867b"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BkCUL1-RM4U?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr">Results showed that GABA plays a key role in people’s ability to stop thought patterns. functioning as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA effectively tells the cells it comes in contact with not to fire. Without it, nerve cells can fire too often and too easily. <a href="http://www.gammaaminobutyricacid.org/" target="_blank">Caffeine inhibits the release of GABA in the brain</a>, so one way to conceptualize what a GABA deficiency might feel like is to imagine that jittery, hyperactive feeling when you drink too much coffee.</p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The study could help improve treatments for rumination and associated psychiatric disorders.</span></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><em>"Most of the focus has been on improving functioning of the prefrontal cortex," Anderson <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/health-41847030" target="_blank">said to BBC News</a>. "Our study suggests that if you could improve GABA activity within the hippocampus, this may help people to stop unwanted and intrusive thoughts."</em></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr"><strong>The Game</strong></p> <p></p><p dir="ltr">The polar bear game listed at the top of the article is similar to a mind game played 24-7 around the world, known simply as The Game. According to its <a href="http://losethegame.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, there are only three rules to The Game:</p> <p></p><ul class="ee-ul"> </ul><p></p><li>Rule 1: You are playing The Game. You, along with everyone else in the world, always is, always has been, and always will be playing The Game. Neither awareness nor consent is required to play.</li> <p></p><li>Rule 2: Every time you think about The Game, you lose. Loss is temporary; as soon as you forget about The Game you stop losing. The objective of The Game is to forget that it exists. Good luck. </li> <p></p><li>Rule 3: Loss of The Game must be announced. Every time you think about The Game, and hence lose, you must say so. This is the only rule that can be broken, but do you really need to cheat..?</li> <p></p> <p></p><p> </p> <p></p><div class="video-full-card-placeholder" data-slug="debunking-common-brain-myths" style="border: 1px solid #ccc;">
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Caffeine May Prevent Alzheimer's and Other Dementias
Scientists identify key compounds that may help prevent brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s as well as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
08 March, 2017
<p class="p1">Your morning cup of joe may have effects that reach beyond getting you alert and ready for the day. Researchers at Indiana University identified <strong>24</strong> compounds that can increase the brain’s production of an enzyme that could help protect it against diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. One of the strongest impacts on the enzyme came from <strong>caffeine</strong>, which was additionally shown to improve memory function in mice.</p> <p class="p1">The enzyme, called <strong>NMNAT2</strong>, has a protective effect on the brain. Researchers previously found that the enzyme has two important functions - it can guard neurons from stress and work as a “chaperone” when it fights against misfolded proteins called <em>tau</em> which form age-related “plaques.” </p> <p class="p1">The misfolded <em>tau</em> proteins are related to a host of neurogenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s as well as Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS.</p> <blockquote>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">"This work could help advance efforts to develop drugs that increase levels of this enzyme in the brain, creating a chemical 'blockade' against the debilitating effects of neurodegenerative disorders," <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-caffeine-boosts-enzyme-dementia.html" target="_blank">said Professor Hui-Chen Lu</a>, who led the study.</span></p>
</blockquote> <p class="p3"><span class="s1"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODMzODgxNi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTI3Nzk4NH0.TL2zTISrKLHB6Os4WK1G13BicxfXOgm6gMe0SJz7KEU/img.jpg?width=980" id="964d4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="183204063d1ee567e9602bd02459a7c1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><br></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1">Researchers went through <strong>1,280</strong> compounds, which included current drugs, in an effort to figure out what can influence the production of the NMNAT2 enzyme. Besides caffeine, the world's most popular drug, scientists found that a discontinued anti-depressant drug <em>rolipram </em>also gives a strong boost to the helpful enzyme’s production. Other compounds that have a weaker effect on increasing the amount of NMNAT2 include <em>ziprasidone</em>, <em>canthardin</em>, <em>wortmannin</em> and <em>retonoic acid</em> (found in vitamin A). </span> </p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1">The scientists are excited about identifying the compounds, hoping they will lead to an increase in our overall understanding of what happens in the brain due to the brain disorders. They also found 13 compounds that lower the protective enzyme.</span></p> <blockquote>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">"Increasing our knowledge about the pathways in the brain that appear to naturally cause the decline of this necessary protein is equally as important as identifying compounds that could play a role in future treatment of these debilitating mental disorders," <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-caffeine-boosts-enzyme-dementia.html" target="_blank">said Lu</a>.</span></p>
</blockquote> <p class="p4">The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/articles/srep43846" target="_blank"><em>Scientific Reports</em>.</a></p> <p class="p4"><em>Cover photo: <span>A young woman samples freshly-brewed cappuccino at Bonanza Coffee Roasters on January 24, 2011 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)</span></em></p>
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Does Your Brain Lag in the Morning? Put On Your Thinking Cap-puccino
Does a shot of espresso before walking into an exam make a difference?
23 January, 2017
While the dominant theme in education is focused on the current pick for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, and her vigilance in implementing voucher programs, not as much is being discussed regarding the broader conditions surrounding performance. For example, one argument states students should have later start times, given that teenagers have an especially hard time waking up in the morning. Proper sleep is a chronic elephant in the room in modern education.
<p>A research team lead by Boston College’s Stephanie Sherman decided to test a particularly popular mechanism during students’ non-optimal time of day, early morning hours: <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01764/full" target="_blank">caffeine</a>.</p> <p>Morning, the researchers write, is a terrible time for testing one’s memory, especially college students. During those hours they’re at a physiological low point. All-night cramming has <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514" target="_blank">been shown</a> to decrease performance—sleep, we know from over a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768102/" target="_blank">century of research</a>, is essential for memory formation. But does a shot of espresso before walking into an exam make a difference?</p> <p>Sixty students were spread across two groups. The first drank caffeinated coffee while the other drank decaf (while thinking they were sipping the good stuff). Two sessions were tested: a morning, or non-optimal time, group; and afternoon crew, when their bodies were physiologically normal.</p> <div class="video-callout-placeholder" data-slug="eric-kandel-on-memory-loss-lifelong-learning-and-brain-health" style="border: 1px solid #ccc;">
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</div> <p>Another experiment was later conducted, with one group performing vigorous cardiovascular exercise, the other gentle stretching. Forty students were included in this experiment to test the specificity of caffeine’s effect during early morning hours, which was the researchers’ primary focus. Both exercise and caffeine affect the locus coerueus, the brain’s principal site for the production of norepinephrine, which mobilizes us for action.</p> <p>It is well understood both exercise and caffeine arouse the mind and body, but the question here has to do with memory. Did students perform better thanks to the java?</p> <p>Not during the optimal time of day; students tested in the afternoon showed little difference. Surprisingly, exercise did not seem to help memory performance either (more on that below). Early morning test takers valued those 200 milligrams of caffeine, as it resulted in higher explicit memory performance—information consciously recalled. The coffee had no apparent effect on implicit memories, however. For test takers, though, that is irrelevant.</p> <p>This has broader implications for how we test students. The researchers write:</p> <blockquote>
<p>Most college instructors simply assume that grades on these tests accurately reflect a student’s ability, but this is likely not the case. Several studies in academic settings suggest that a student’s time of day preference impacts overall academic performance.</p>
</blockquote> <p>By and large modern educators do not address basic physiological, emotional, and anatomical realities of their students. Sitting all day on hard surfaces is terrible for children’s (and adult’s) bodies. It’s hard to pay attention when the main joints in your body are in chronic flexion. Lack of movement has profound effects on our emotional and mental well-being, including memory formation.</p> <p>Which is why exercise having no impact is a surprising aspect of this study. Harvard’s John Ratey <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/0316113514" target="_blank">has shown</a> that initiatives like the Zero Hour PE program at Naperville Central High School—an optional before school cardiovascular training program—is highly effective at increasing test performance. School counselors stack the students’ most challenging classes at the beginning of the day, right after their workouts, to maximize the effect of exercise, as it tapers as the hours go by.</p> <p>Sherman and team address the lack of improvement from cardiovascular exercise to one potential cause:</p> <blockquote>
<p>Our finding is consistent, however, with research suggesting that the cognitive benefits of exercise build gradually, rather than acutely. For example, <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01764/full#B7" target="_blank">Bugg et al. (2006)</a> found that older adults who engage in an active lifestyle do not experience a decline in working memory performance across time-of-day compared to sedentary older adults. These authors argue that habitual exercise leads to increased calcium levels, which are necessary for the metabolism of dopamine and norepinephrine. This increase in calcium occurs gradually and is maintained through consistent exercise.</p>
</blockquote> <p>Caffeine, they continue, quickly blocks adenosine receptors. Norepinephrine is released, which might be a major mechanism for the consolidation of new memories. Ratey’s long-term findings are qualitatively different from a single run, as in the above study. So keep your heart pumping.</p> <p>Still, caffeine should be celebrated. Ninety percent of North Americans and 80 percent of the global population consumes it. Outside of sugar it is our most sanctioned drug. If you have to remember information early in the day when your body and brain are not yet fully functional, it seems to provide just the boost you need.</p> <p>The real value of this study brings into question how we’re educating the youth. A Secretary of Education favoring voucher programs and charter schools in which the government is hands-off—which translates, we know from <a href="http://bigthink.com/21st-century-spirituality/betsy-devos-education-nominee" target="_blank">her history</a>, to more religious instruction—is not going to fundamentally address many problems students face. Time of day does matter in performance. Restructuring the school day to honor our evolutionary and biological realities simply makes more sense. </p> <p>--</p> <p>Derek's next book, <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Whole-Motion-Training-Optimal-Health/dp/1631440721/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476996488&sr=8-1&keywords=whole+motion" target="_blank">Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body For Optimal Health</a></em>, will be published on 7/4/17 by Carrel/Skyhorse Publishing. He is based in Los Angeles. Stay in touch on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</p>
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Drinking coffee may slow aging and help prevent heart disease in certain adults
Diabetes, certain forms of cancer, and other conditions may also be inhibited.
20 January, 2017
People in a coffee bar drinking espresso.
Americans are coffee addicts, and perhaps more so nowadays, now that we're working longer hours and getting less sleep than decades past. 50% of Americans drink at least one cup per day. In the past, the pendulum on coffee, and in particular caffeine, swung back and forth as to whether moderate consumption was healthy or not. At one time, too much was thought bad for the heart.
<p>Today, moderate caffeine consumption is actually considered healthy. Tea and coffee both contain antioxidants which rid the body of free radicals—proven to harm cells. One recent study found that <a href="http://www.techtimes.com/articles/193075/20170118/caffeine-may-be-key-to-fighting-aging-related-inflammation.htm" target="_blank" title="Tech Times">coffee consumption in women can decrease the risk of dementia</a>. Another found that drinking coffee can lessen the impact of liver disease.</p> <p>In a recent study published online in the journal <em>Nature</em> <em>Medicine</em>, researchers at <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/01/caffeine-may-counter-age-related-inflammation-study-finds.html" target="_blank" title="Stanford">Stanford University</a> discovered that among certain adults, caffeine can block an inflammation pathway which leads to heart disease. 100 human participants underwent extensive assessment, including giving researchers their family and medical histories, answering survey questions, and giving blood. This pathway is associated with <a href="https://slack-files.com/files-pri-safe/T04A0V78F-F3U2GC6MA/inflammation_and_aging.pdf?c=1484956068-2cfc44a12dc4f3badfd131dcbc750c80b82648e9" target="_blank" title="Nature Medicine">low-grade, chronic inflammation, known to contribute to disease and aging.</a> </p> <p>Nucleic acid metabolites are byproducts of processes that circulate in the blood and trigger inflammation. Chronic, low-grade inflammation has been linked to heart disease, Alzheimer's, dementia, osteoarthritis, certain types of cancer, and even depression. According to the study's lead author David Furman, PhD, “More than 90 percent of all non-communicable diseases of aging are associated with chronic inflammation."</p> <p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODMzODQzOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyODg3MTg5Nn0.3VWwrk3IUfROHo26Lim_mmw0RFyKZBjkWgduBJggicw/img.jpg?width=980" id="3d2aa" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3a748b8b2ca14dc0ea8c06f0903118ad" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p> <p><em>Recent studies show that moderate caffeine consumption offers tremendous health benefits. </em></p> <p>Mark Davis, PhD was a senior author on this study. He's the director of the Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection. Besides helping to prevent disease, “It's also well-known that caffeine intake is associated with longevity," Davis said. “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." Target in medical speak often means potentially treatable with drug therapy, which could reap exciting benefits for certain patients.</p> <p>Still, their findings aren't airtight. The inflammatory mechanism researchers discovered was present in some, but not all participants. Interestingly, those who were found to have a less active pathway or mechanism tended to consume higher levels of caffeine. Turning to the lab, these scientists soon saw that among older patients who tended to drink more coffee or tea, the inflammatory mechanism was inhibited.</p> <p>At the opening of the study, researchers perused data from a long-term project a decade old, the Stanford-Ellison cohort. This is a longitudinal study on the immunology of aging. Here, the immune systems of 20 to 30 year-olds is compared to those of adults over age 60. Participants give blood annually and answer survey questions and all the data is recorded.</p> <p>In the caffeine study, researchers compared blood samples from younger participants to older ones, to see what genes were active in old age. Two groups of genes were of interest. Each help produce an inflammatory protein that circulates throughout the body, known as IL-1-beta.</p> <p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODMzODQzOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTE4MzE1OX0.-iEMzSyQsgaF__x3Yo1pA2QF4fNieCXhjSclRCXLbYc/img.jpg?width=980" id="c754c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a10e5e3b7a12270d8b22ead32ed7cd48" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"></p> <p><em>Caffeine was shown to inhibit certain gene clusters and so stave off chronic inflammation. </em></p> <p>Next, the study zeroed in on two subgroups of older subjects. One had both gene clusters activated, while the other had one or both activated but at a low level. Among those with high cluster activity, nine out of the 12 had high blood pressure. But only one of 11 participants who had low cluster activity did. Colleague and co-author Francois Haddad, MD ran a follow-up study, finding that the group with high gene cluster activity had more advanced cases of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.</p> <p>Those who had high activity were more likely to have free radicals in their system. Also, those who had low activity reported at least one close relative who lived to age 90 or older. Meanwhile, those who saw high activity at age 85 or above in 2008, were more likely to have passed away by 2016. In addition, IL-1-beta and other byproducts produced by free radicals were found at high levels in the systems of the high cluster group.</p> <p>Researchers incubated immune cells with some of those nucleic-acid metabolites. This was found to increase the activity of one of the two gene clusters. The result was IL-1-beta. They injected this into healthy mice who soon developed system-wide inflammation and high blood pressure. Then, researchers took blood from older participants who had gene cluster activity along with a high rate of caffeine consumption. They found that those inflammation-causing substances were inhibited over time, due to caffeine's presence.</p> <p>Though a marvelous result, there remain some loose ends. One is that researchers couldn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship between caffeine consumption and longevity, merely a strong correlation. The second and perhaps more important was, they weren't sure why some people have this gene cluster activation while others don't. Some mechanisms have already been implicated, and those will be the focus of future studies.</p> <p>To learn other ways to live longer and healthier, click here: </p> <p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d0bcf95bf021d1286576c7f456e8ba29"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/isUmseiSXxA?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p>
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