That jolt you feel from your morning coffee isn’t just hitting your brain—it’s reaching deep into your cells and flipping biological switches that could help you age more slowly. Recent research suggests caffeine acts like a personal trainer for our cells, stressing them just enough to activate the same longevity pathways triggered by hitting the gym or cutting calories.
“In a sense, a bit of stress is beneficial,” John-Patrick Alao, a postdoctoral research scientist and the lead author of the study, told The Epoch Times. The study, published in Microbial Cell, discovered that caffeine induces a stress-like response in cells, activating a longevity pathway called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).
AMPK functions like a cellular fuel gauge. When energy runs low or during times of stress, AMPK activates, forcing cells to conserve resources, repair damage, and clean up faulty components by recycling parts of themselves.
In biology, too much stress harms cells, but small amounts can actually help them adapt and repair, preventing damage from piling up. Over time, this helps tissues stay healthier, which supports a longer lifespan. “Our research, at least in terms of caffeine, suggests that AMPK gets turned on because caffeine is exerting some sort of stress on the cells,” Alao said.
The Wombat has Rule Five Sunday: The Ghost of Safeguard-chan Watches Over Us up and at 'em at The Other McCain.
No comments:
Post a Comment