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]

Going for four cups of coffee a day had maximal telomere benefit, providing cells that were effectively five years’ younger.

[ConservativeMind]

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[ProtectOurFreedom]

Those,people,never sleep, so the extra five years feels like ten.

[Maine Mariner]

Whew!

[Red Badger]

I’m good..................

[fidelis]

So if you’re crazier than an outhouse rat, drink more coffee and you can be crazy five years longer. Got it.

[T.B. Yoits]

Coffee can help get the bad stuff out.

[Deaf Smith]

ping

[jerod]

Just what we need... Mentally deficient people living longer.

[struggle]

Another article I can share with my wife

[spetznaz]

LOL

[Carriage Hill]

“...Mentally deficient people living longer...”

DemonKKKrats!

[dennisw]

Drink black or you are wasting your time. I just had some and fuerte. My only coffee of the day.

[maddog55]

I would try to find something that increases the biological aging of people with major mental illness....why would you want anyone around longer with major mental illness.

[trebb]

I guess that’s why Starbucks is a Dem-leaning place....😜

[kawhill]

I only drink two cups a day, that’s why my mental illness isn’t too bad.

[dynachrome]

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[faithhopecharity]

yours:
“Just what we need... Mentally deficient people living longer.”

mine:
yes indeed! now, we’ll never run out of politicians

[Songcraft]

Some nutballs only drink one cup a day, so I don't know if that will help their telemeres or not.