Caffeine is a stimulant that has been shown to improve mental alertness, cognitive function, and physical performance. Caffeine may reduce the risk of certain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, type II diabetes, and liver disease.
Caffeine is one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive substances in the world (Shima et al., 2022). Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline alkaloid that is found in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of plants such as coffee, tea, cacao, and cola). Caffeine is a stimulant that has been shown to improve mental alertness, cognitive function, and physical performance (McLellan et al., 2016). It is also a diuretic that can increase urine production and frequency (Alwis et al., 2020).
The health effects of caffeine have been studied for many years. As of January 2023, a search of the PubMed database reveals over 37,000 published studies on caffeine. The majority of these studies have focused on the effects of caffeine on neurocognitive health, cardiovascular health, physical performance, and fertility. In addition, a growing number of studies are investigating the potential health benefits of caffeine consumption (Gonzalez de Mejia et al., 2014; van Dram et al., 2020).
Beyond mental alertness, cognitive function, and physical performance, caffeine may reduce the risk of certain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, type II diabetes, and liver disease. However, more research is needed to confirm these benefits.
Neurocognitive Performance
Caffeine may improve mental alertness and cognitive function. In a study of elderly adults, caffeine improved attention and fluency test performance (Dong et al., 2020). Caffeine has also been shown to exert an impact on cognitive performance and cognitive reserve to reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (Larsson & Orsini, 2018).
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Physical Performance
Caffeine has also been shown to improve physical performance and leads to a cardioprotective effect during intense exercise. In a study of cyclists, caffeine improved 16 km time-trial test and output power (Sampaio-Jorge et al., 2021). In addition, acute caffeine ingestion shows an improvement in running performance, attention, and reaction time (Khcharem et al., 2021).
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and balance. A review of a number of studies have shown that caffeine confers neuroprotection against dopaminergic neurodegeneration and hence may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease (Ren & Chen, 2020). However, it’s important to keep in mind that correlation does not equal causation. Other factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environment may also play a role. Further research is needed to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
Type II Diabetes
Type II diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the way the body utilizes sugar. High levels of blood sugar can negatively impact certain causes of aging, or vice versa (Narasimhan et al., 2021). A recent review showed that caffeine may reduce the risk of type II diabetes (Kolb et al., 2021). The review concluded that long-term preservation of proper liver and beta cell function may account for the association of habitual coffee drinking with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
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Liver Disease
Liver disease is a condition that affects the liver. It has been known for decades that coffee consumption may reduce the risk of liver disease (Muriel & Arauz, 2010). However, the beneficial effect of coffee in liver disease is still under discussion as coffee is a complex compound. A recent randomized controlled trial reported caffeine was not superior to placebo in attenuation of the hepatic fat and stiffness and other hepatic outcomes in patients with diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (Mansour et al., 2021).
What about coffee?
A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that coffee consumption may be associated with a longer lifespan (van Dam et al., 2020). A large prospective cohort study followed more than 171,616 participants found that those who drank three or more cups of coffee per day had a lower risk of death from all causes (up to 30%), including heart disease, stroke, and cancer, than those who drank less coffee or no coffee (Liu et al., 2022).
Health benefits of coffee may be due to its antioxidants, which protect cells from damage. They caution, however, that coffee is a complex beverage and that its health effects may vary depending on the individual’s health status and other factors. For example, having more than one cup of coffee has been found to be a risk factor of cardiovascular disease mortality for adults with severe hypertension (very high blood pressure, >160/90 mmHg) (Teramoto et al., 2023).
By contrast, green tea consumption did not demonstrate an association with an increased risk of CVD mortality as mentioned in caffeine (Teramoto et al., 2023). A possible explanation is that green tea contains an ingredient found in NOVOS Core — L-Theanine — which is known to exhibit anti-stress effects and increases in the brain’s alpha waves which aid in decreasing blood pressure (Yoto et al., 2012).
Other studies have also found a link between coffee and a longer lifespan. A review published in the journal Circulation in 2013 found that coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases (Ding et al., 2014). Furthermore, a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings in 2013 found that coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, including heart disease and cancer (Liu et al., 2013).
Conclusion
Caffeine is a well-known psychoactive substance that has been shown to improve cognitive and physical performance. Caffeine may also reduce the risk of certain diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, type II diabetes, and liver disease. Although more research is needed to further confirm these benefits, caffeine, whether derived from coffee or tea, is likely to be your friend on your NOVOS Longevity Journey.
Follow the NOVOS Longevity Protocol to learn the fundamental supplements, foods, and other interventions to adopt into your long-term health routine for optimal health and longevity.
References
- Alwis, U. S., Haddad, R., Monaghan, T. F., Abrams, P., Dmochowski, R., Bower, W., Wein, A. J., Roggeman, S., Weiss, J. P., Mourad, S., Delanghe, J., & Everaert, K. (2020). Impact of food and drinks on urine production: A systematic review. International journal of clinical practice, 74(9), e13539. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcp.13539
- Dong, X., Li, S., Sun, J., Li, Y., & Zhang, D. (2020). Association of Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and Caffeine Intake from Coffee with Cognitive Performance in Older Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. Nutrients, 12(3), 840. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030840
- Ding, M., Bhupathiraju, S. N., Satija, A., van Dam, R. M., & Hu, F. B. (2014). Long-term coffee consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Circulation, 129(6), 643–659. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.005925
- Gonzalez de Mejia, E., & Ramirez-Mares, M. V. (2014). Impact of caffeine and coffee on our health. Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM, 25(10), 489–492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2014.07.003
- Kolb, H., Martin, S., & Kempf, K. (2021). Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship. Nutrients, 13(4), 1144. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041144
- Khcharem, A., Souissi, M., Atheymen, R., Souissi, W., & Sahnoun, Z. (2021). Acute caffeine ingestion improves 3-km run performance, cognitive function, and psychological state of young recreational runners. Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, 207, 173219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173219
- Larsson, S. C., & Orsini, N. (2018). Coffee Consumption and Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. Nutrients, 10(10), 1501. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101501
- Liu, D., Li, Z. H., Shen, D., Zhang, P. D., Song, W. Q., Zhang, W. T., Huang, Q. M., Chen, P. L., Zhang, X. R., & Mao, C. (2022). Association of Sugar-Sweetened, Artificially Sweetened, and Unsweetened Coffee Consumption With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality : A Large Prospective Cohort Study. Annals of internal medicine, 175(7), 909–917. https://doi.org/10.7326/M21-2977
- Liu, J., Sui, X., Lavie, C. J., Hebert, J. R., Earnest, C. P., Zhang, J., & Blair, S. N. (2013). Association of coffee consumption with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. Mayo Clinic proceedings, 88(10), 1066–1074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.06.020
- Mansour, A., Mohajeri-Tehrani, M. R., Samadi, M., Qorbani, M., Merat, S., Adibi, H., Poustchi, H., & Hekmatdoost, A. (2021). Effects of supplementation with main coffee components including caffeine and/or chlorogenic acid on hepatic, metabolic, and inflammatory indices in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Nutrition journal, 20(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-021-00694-5
- McLellan, T. M., Caldwell, J. A., & Lieberman, H. R. (2016). A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance. Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 71, 294–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.001
