Daily coffee drinking may slow biological aging of people with major mental illness (by 5 years)

Medical Xpress / British Medical Journal / BMJ Mental Health ^ | Nov. 25, 2025 | Vid Mlakar et al

[ConservativeMind]

Drinking a maximum of 3–4 cups of coffee a day may slow the "biological" aging of people with severe mental illness, by lengthening their telomeres—indicators of cellular aging—and giving them the equivalent of 5 extra biological years, compared with non-coffee drinkers, finds research.

But no such effects were observed beyond this quota.

Telomeres sit at the end of chromosomes and perform a role similar to the plastic tips on the end of shoelaces.

Telomeres are sensitive to environmental factors, including, possibly, diet.

They included 436 adult participants from the Norwegian Thematically Organized Psychosis (TOP) study, recruited between 2007 and 2018: 259 had schizophrenia; the rest (177) had affective disorders.

Participants who drank 5+ cups a day were significantly older than those who drank none or 1–2 cups a day. And those with schizophrenia drank significantly more coffee than those with an affective disorder.

Smoking is associated with faster caffeine metabolism. And around three quarters of participants (77%; 337) smoked. And those drinking 5+ cups a day had smoked for significantly longer than any of the other groups.

Telomere length was measured and this revealed a significant difference among the four groups, forming a J-shaped curve.

Compared with those drinking no coffee, drinking up to 3–4 cups a day was associated with longer telomeres, but not in those participants drinking 5 or more every day.

Those participants getting a daily 4-cup caffeine hit had telomere lengths comparable to a biological age five years younger than that of non-coffee drinkers.

There are plausible biological explanations. These include the powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found in coffee.

But despite benefits, "consuming more than the daily recommended amount of coffee may also cause cellular damage and [telomere] shortening," they caution, emphasizing limiting caffeine intake to a maximum of 400 mg/day (4 cups of coffee).

[ConservativeMind]

My wife and I only do black coffee— but we get great-tasting light roasted beans (sourced from select countries).

[dennisw]

I buy cafe Bustelo. I get water to boil the night before. Add as much Bustelo as is needed for x people the next morning. Simmer a few minutes.

Reheat in the morning. I sweeten mine half the time but only with https://www.amazon.com/Wholesome-Sweeteners-Organic-Molasses-Unsulphured/dp/B002HQC31Y?th=1

I only buy when it is in regular Amazon. Not in food cart Amazon with delivery charges.

[dennisw]

“My wife and I only do black coffee”

Empty stomach in the morning, it is a liver cleanse. Adding dairy ruins this. AI says 65% here add dairy, sugar, fake dairy creamers and so on.