Caffeine consumption and telomere length in men and women of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional analysis of survey data.
PubMed 28603543 · doi:10.1186/s12986-017-0162-x
What was done
Researchers evaluated the cross-sectional relationship between caffeine intake, coffee consumption, and leukocyte telomere length in 5,826 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Telomere length was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction relative to standard reference DNA. Dietary intake was assessed via a validated, computer-assisted 24-hour recall system. Statistical models adjusted for age, gender, race, marital status, education, housing, smoking, BMI, physical activity, alcohol use, and reciprocal intake of coffee or caffeine.
What was found
Caffeine consumption was inversely related to telomere length (F = 15.1, P = 0.0005), with each 100 mg of caffeine associated with 35.4 base pairs shorter telomeres after adjusting for covariates. Among coffee drinkers, each 100 mg of caffeine was associated with 36.7 base pairs shorter telomeres (F = 9.0, P = 0.0054), and among non-coffee drinkers, 40.0 base pairs shorter (F = 8.5, P = 0.0067). Conversely, coffee intake was positively related to telomere length independent of covariates (F = 12.6, P = 0.0013).
Why it matters
The findings demonstrate divergent associations between caffeine intake and whole coffee consumption with a cellular aging biomarker, suggesting that beneficial constituents in coffee may counteract caffeine-associated telomere shortening.
Limits
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality or temporal direction. Dietary exposure relied on 24-hour recall, which is vulnerable to recall bias and may not represent habitual long-term intake.
Cited by
- supports Drinking three cups of caffeinated coffee is associated with longer telomeres.