Scientists named a popular drink that slows down aging

Coffee has long been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and a number of cancers. Observational studies have documented this connection for decades, yet the precise molecular mechanism remained a mystery. Scientists from Texas A&M University appear to have found one of the keys to solving it. Their work was published in the journal Nutrients.

A team led by Professor Stephen Safe discovered that compounds found in coffee activate the nuclear receptor NR4A1. This protein acts as a kind of "dispatcher" of cellular stress: it suppresses inflammation and triggers repair processes in damaged tissues. Block NR4A1, and damage increases while healing slows dramatically.

The main surprise of the study is that it has nothing to do with caffeine. The most potent activators of the receptor turned out to be polyhydroxyl and polyphenolic compounds, primarily caffeic acid, which, incidentally, is also found in many fruits and vegetables. While caffeine does bind to the receptor, it has virtually no effect on its activity in cell models. This explains a long-standing puzzle for epidemiologists: large-scale studies have repeatedly shown that regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee provide the same benefits. The protective effect is delivered by entirely different components of the beverage.

In laboratory experiments, coffee compounds reduced cellular damage and inhibited the growth of tumor cells. However, once NR4A1 was blocked, all of these effects disappeared. The authors emphasize, however, that NR4A1 is just one of many pathways through which coffee affects the body. Meanwhile, the team is already developing synthetic receptor activators that are more precise than natural molecules. In the future, these could form the basis for new approaches to treating cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.