Coffee link to slower biological aging in those w mental illness–to point

Summary

New research from King’s College London finds that coffee consumption within the NHS recommended limit is linked to longer telomere lengths – a marker of biological ageing – among people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The effect is comparable to roughly five years younger biological age.Telomeres are structures that protect DNA. As people get older, their telomeres shorten as part of the natural human ageing process. This process has been shown to be accelerated among people with severe mental illness, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, who have an average life expectancy 15 years shorter than the general population. Previous research shows that coffee possesses health benefits. It may reduce oxidative stress in the general population, helping slow biological ageing processes like telomere shortening. The new study, published in BMJ Mental Health, explores whether coffee consumption could slow this ageing process among those with severe mental illness. Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience measured the effects of coffee consumption on telomere length among 436 participants aged 18 to 65 with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder with psychosis. They found that coffee consumption of up to four cups per day was linked to longer telomeres, comparable to a biological age five years younger than non-coffee drinkers. The longest telomeres were seen among those who consumed three to four cups per day. Too much coffee reduced this positive effect, with participants who consumed more than four cups having shorter telomeres than those who consumed between three and four cups.Figure from Vid Mlakar et al. 2025: As coffee consumption increases up to 3-4 cups, telomere length increases. At 5+ cups, telomere length begins to shorten again.These effects remained after accounting for variations in age, sex, ethnicity, medication and tobacco use.We know that coffee can help slow biological ageing in the genera...