Research from Queen Mary University of London suggests caffeine activates an ancient cellular energy system involved in growth, stress resistance, and DNA repair, potentially explaining links to healthier aging.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London’s Centre for Molecular Cell Biology discovered that caffeine appears to affect aging by activating a deeply conserved energy sensing system. The findings, published in *Microbial Cell*, stem from research using fission yeast, a single-celled organism with biological similarities to human cells.
The research team, led by Dr. Charalampos (Babis) Rallis, found that caffeine doesn’t directly impact the growth regulator TOR (Target of Rapamycin) as previously thought. Instead, it works through AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a cellular energy sensor that maintains metabolic balance. “When your cells are low on energy, AMPK kicks in to help them cope,” explains Dr. Rallis.
This AMPK system is an ancient mechanism, regulating growth, energy use, and stress responses in living organisms for over 500 million years. The team previously showed caffeine could help cells live longer by influencing TOR, but this new study reveals a different pathway. Caffeine’s activation of AMPK suggests a potential explanation for its connection to a lower risk of some age-related diseases.
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