Your daily cup of coffee may offer more than just a caffeine boost—it might also help delay ageing and extend lifespan, according to a new study by scientists at Queen Mary University of London.
The research, published in Microbial Cell, sheds new light on how caffeine interacts with human cells at a molecular level. The team discovered that caffeine activates AMPK, a crucial energy-sensing enzyme known as the cell’s “fuel gauge.” This enzyme plays a major role in regulating cellular metabolism, stress responses, and DNA repair—key factors in the ageing process.
“AMPK helps cells adapt when energy levels are low, and we found that caffeine can trigger this protective response,” said Dr. Charalampos (Babis) Rallis, a genetics expert at Queen Mary’s Centre for Molecular Cell Biology.
Using yeast as a model organism—due to its shared cellular mechanisms with humans—the researchers demonstrated that caffeine’s activation of AMPK had wide-reaching effects. It improved cellular functions associated with health and longevity, including DNA maintenance and resilience to stress.
Lead author Dr. John-Patrick Alao noted, “This study helps us understand how a commonly consumed compound like caffeine can influence ageing at the cellular level. These findings could help explain why regular coffee consumption is often linked with reduced risk of age-related diseases.”
While more research is needed to explore caffeine’s full impact in humans, this study offers a compelling explanation for its long-observed health benefits, including its potential to promote longer, healthier lives.
So the next time you sip your morning brew, you might be doing your cells a favor.