Coffee Consumption Could Slow Cellular Ageing In Those With Severe Mental Illness: Study

There are several claims surrounding coffee. While some of them highlight the benefits of the beverage, some of them mention the side effects of it. A recent study found that drinking coffee slowed cellular ageing in adults with severe mental disorders (SMD). The study was published in the journal BMJ Mental Health. Researchers focused on telomere length, which is a marker of biological ageing, to understand this connection. The study found that people who consumed moderate amounts of coffee daily had the longest telomeres. The most notable difference appeared between non-coffee drinkers and those drinking three to four cups a day. Some coffee drinkers also showed telomere lengths, which suggest that they were biologically roughly five years younger than non-drinkers.

Telomeres And Ageing In People With Severe Mental Disorders

Individuals with SMD often face a shorter life expectancy due to increased risk of age-related illnesses like cardiovascular disease and cancer. This has led scientists to hypothesise accelerated biological ageing in this group, commonly measured by telomere length, which naturally shortens as people age.

Several studies have found that those with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder commonly have shorter telomeres than healthy individuals, though the exact cause remains unclear. Because telomeres respond to environmental and lifestyle factors, researchers are keen to understand how diet impacts, including coffee consumption.

While people with severe mental disorders often consume more caffeine than the general population, this is the first study to directly explore how coffee intake is linked to telomere length in schizophrenia and affective disorders.

The Study Method

The study involved 436 adults diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum or affective disorders from four psychiatric centers in Norway. Those with neurological diseases, severe head injuries, or illnesses affecting brain function were excluded. Professional clinicians conducted diagnostic interviews, while medication usage was tracked from health records. Coffee consumption was self-reported in four categories: none, one to two cups, three to four cups, and five or more cups daily. Smoking history and status were also recorded. Telomere length was measured from blood samples, expressed as a telomere-to-single-copy gene ratio, which researchers translated into estimated biological ageing years.

What Does The Study Reveal

Participants differed mainly by age and smoking history across coffee consumption groups. Those consuming five or more cups daily were older and had longer smoking histories than other groups. Coffee intake did not vary by sex or medication use, but people with schizophrenia tended to drink more coffee than those with affective disorders. Most participants smoked, averaging nine years of tobacco use.

The analysis revealed an inverted J-shaped pattern: telomere length increased with coffee intake up to three to four cups daily, but not beyond that. The significant difference was between non-drinkers and the three-to-four-cup group.

Moderate consumers had longer telomeres, while those drinking five or more cups have this advantage. Overall, those drinking between one and four cups per day appeared biologically about five years younger than non-drinkers. These findings were consistent regardless of diagnosis or sex, indicating similar effects among men and women, and between schizophrenia and affective disorder groups.

Factors That Affect Cellular Ageing

The study suggests that moderate coffee consumption may be linked to slower cellular ageing in people with severe mental illness, following an inverted J-curve. This means that benefits peak at moderate intake but reduce or disappear at very high levels.

Possible mechanisms could be coffee's antioxidants that reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, along with caffeine's influence on telomerase, an enzyme that helps maintain telomeres. These effects are particularly relevant for people with schizophrenia and affective disorders, where accelerated ageing is common.

Limitations of the study include reliance on self-reported coffee consumption, no information on caffeine sources or coffee type, and lack of data on inflammation or oxidative stress markers.

Overall, the research highlights potential benefits of moderate coffee intake but warns of possible harm at very high consumption levels, underlining the importance of monitoring caffeine use in people with severe mental disorders.

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