Regularly Drinking Coffee Can Delay Aging, This Is An Ideal Rate Recommended By Nutritionists

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JAKARTA - Recent research shows coffee consumption in certain doses can bring health benefits, especially for people with severe psychiatric disorders. A study published in BMJ Mental Health found drinking 35 cups of coffee per day could slow premature aging.

Research shows coffee helps protect the telomer, which is a marker related to the aging process. People with psychiatric disorders usually have shorter telomers than healthy people, so this effect is considered important.

Telomers are parts of DNA located at the tips of chromodynamics and function to maintain the stability of chromodynamics. Over time, the telomer stagnates as an indicator of cell age and aging.

People with psychiatric disorders also usually have a life expectancy of about 15 years lower than the average for early causes of death that are often associated with heart disease and cancer.

In this study, participants who drank 35 cups of coffee per day had a telomer length equivalent to a person who was 5 years younger biologically.

The study involved 436 participants aged 1865 years with disturbances in columnar spectra or affective, bipolar, or severe depression with psychosis. The data were collected between 2007' 2018 in four psychiatric units in Oslo, Norway.

Participants who do not drink coffee have shorter telomers than they drink the recommended number of cups. However, drinking more than 5 cups a day does not increase the length of the telomer.

The researchers suspect the benefits of coffee come from its antioxidants. This was revealed by Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, nutritionists who were not involved in the study.

"Coffee contains bioactive compounds, especially chlorogenic acid and trigonelins that act as antioxidants, neutralize free radicals and activate cell defense lines to protect DNA from oxidative damage," Michelle said, quoted from the Medical News Today page on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

"CGA (chlorogenic acid) and trigonelin are likely to slow down the demotion of telomers by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation," he continued.

Michelle also emphasized the benefits of coffee more comes from polyphenols (plant compounds) in coffee, not caffeine. Research found 35 cups of coffee per day had a positive effect on the length of the telomer, while drinking more was not always better.

"Our findings show coffee consumption is related to a younger biological age, but if it's too much, this benefit is gone." said Monica Aas, PhD, study senior author of King's College London.

Too much coffee can reduce sleep quality, increase stress, and actually accelerate the demotion of telomers. Excessive cafes can also cause insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure, lower calcium and iron absorption, thinn bones, and cause digestive disorders.

In addition to coffee, a high diet of processed meat, additional sugar, fine grains, and food with a high glycemic index is also associated with telomer shortening because it increases oxidative stress and inflammation.