New Study Shows Caffeine May Slow Ageing and Extend Lifespan

New Delhi : A new study published in the journal Microbial Cell has found that caffeine may help slow down the ageing process and support longevity by influencing key cellular functions.

The research, led by scientists from Queen Mary University of London in the UK, explored how caffeine acts within human cells. It revealed that caffeine activates AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a crucial cellular energy sensor that exists in both yeast and humans.

“AMPK is a cellular fuel gauge,” explained Dr Charalampos (Babis) Rallis, Reader in Genetics, Genomics, and Fundamental Cell Biology at Queen Mary’s Centre for Molecular Cell Biology. “When your cells are low on energy, AMPK kicks in to help them cope. And our results show that caffeine helps flip that switch.”

Using a yeast model, the researchers demonstrated that caffeine’s activation of AMPK impacts how cells grow, repair DNA, and respond to stress processes that are closely linked to ageing and age-related diseases.

AMPK is the same target for metformin, a commonly prescribed diabetes drug that is currently being investigated for its potential lifespan-extending effects, along with another compound, rapamycin.

“These findings help explain why caffeine might be beneficial for health and longevity,” said Dr John-Patrick Alao, the postdoctoral research scientist leading the study. “And they open up exciting possibilities for future research into how we might trigger these effects more directly with diet, lifestyle, or new medicines.”

While the study used yeast cells, researchers emphasized that the AMPK pathway is evolutionarily conserved, meaning its role in energy regulation and stress response is similar across many species, including humans.

The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence suggesting that common dietary substances like caffeine may have broader biological impacts, potentially offering new avenues for healthy ageing research.