Overview

• Queen Mary University scientists used fission yeast experiments published in Microbial Cell to confirm that caffeine directly activates the evolutionarily conserved AMPK energy sensor.
• Activation of AMPK by caffeine enhances cells’ DNA repair mechanisms and stress responses, linking the compound to slower cellular aging.
• Epidemiological analyses, including a Tufts University study, associate drinking two to three cups of coffee daily with about a 20% reduction in cardiac death and lower risks of diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart and liver diseases.
• Lead researchers say the mechanistic insights open the door to developing new AMPK-targeted therapies aimed at promoting healthy aging.
• The NHS warns that consuming more than four cups of coffee per day may raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and dementia.