Key Points

Caffeine has long been linked to potential health benefits, including reduced risk of age-related diseases.

However, the study led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London in the UK revealed how caffeine works inside human cells, and what exactly its connections are with nutrient and stress-responsive gene and protein networks.

The researchers found that caffeine affects ageing by tapping into an ancient cellular energy system.

They showed that caffeine works by activating an important system called AMPK -- a cellular fuel gauge that is evolutionarily conserved in yeast and humans.

“When your cells are low on energy, AMPK kicks in to help them cope,” said Dr Charalampos (Babis) Rallis, Reader in Genetics, Genomics, and Fundamental Cell Biology at Queen Mary’s University of London’s Centre for Molecular Cell Biology.

“And our results show that caffeine helps flip that switch,” Rallis added, in the paper published in the journal Microbial Cell.

Interestingly, AMPK is also the target of metformin -- a common diabetes drug that’s being studied for its potential to extend the human lifespan together with rapamycin.

Using a yeast model, the researchers showed that caffeine's effect on AMPK influences how cells grow, repair their DNA, and respond to stress -- all of which are tied to ageing and disease.

“These findings help explain why caffeine might be beneficial for health and longevity,” said Dr John-Patrick Alao, the postdoctoral research scientist leading this study.

“And they open up exciting possibilities for future research into how we might trigger these effects more directly -- with diet, lifestyle, or new medicines,” Alao added.

- IANS