4 replies to this topic

[InquilineKea]

So I just came across this paper:

http://www.mbio.ncsu...oscar_paper.pdf

And apparently caffeine increases lifespan in yeast through mTor inhibition. A mechanism similar to the one found in humans is credible, given that regular coffee drinkers tend to have the lowest death rates (and also given caffeine's anti-carcinogenic and anti-Parkinson's effects, which may be due to other routes). While it may increase heart attack risk, I think this risk really only applies among those who are already predisposed to having heart attacks.

Now, there's a paper from 1978 called "Effect of caffeine on longevity and reproduction of the housefly", which says that caffeine decreases housefly lifespan. I find this paper VERY interesting because calorie restriction also doesn't increase housefly longevity (what is it that's special in houseflies?)

[1101]

Well for one thing a 30 years difference in biochemistry may as well be a thousand years given the advancements we've made in the last 30 so I don't know how credible that 1978 paper really is. I would think caffeine would almost certainly decrease life expectancy in anything with a circulatory system (ie humans) due to increased blood pressure and thus increased risk of stroke. Flies don't actually have a circulatory system per se. It's more like their 'blood' is strewn about randomly through their body and oscillated by a an organ called a dorsal aorta that sorta pumps like a heart but isn't really one. I'm no expert on insect anatomy but I imagine that the dorsal aorta is a muscle or is at least controlled by muscles. Because caffeine can temporarily paralyze the nerves controlling muscles (which a yeast cell does not have) I would think that this could account for the shortened life span since their 'heart' would not pump as efficiently. But again I think the risk of stroke would outweigh any health benefits provided by caffeine. I don't know anything about it being an anti-carcinogen but the anti Parkinson's effects can be explained by what I said earlier about caffeine paralyzing nerves which is probably bad for someone who doesn't have Parkison's.

In short I would hypothesize that caffeine can only significantly increase the life expetancy of organisms that lack nervous systems.

Edited by 1101, 12 January 2011 - 09:56 PM.

[InquilineKea]

You definitely have good points there. Caffeine has no negative effect on organisms without circulatory systems (like yeasts).

However, the negative effects of caffeine on people with circulatory systems is really only restricted to people who are already at risk for heart attacks/strokes (which is shown by studies - moderate coffee drinkers do have the lowest death rates, even though we can attribute some of those effects to coffee [w/o the caffeine]). We can effectively reduce our risks of both to effectively zero simply by practicing calorie restriction (or other healthy habits).

Edited by InquilineKea, 12 January 2011 - 10:39 PM.

[maxwatt]

Tea?

[Cameron]

whey, figs, beets decrease blood pressure. High intensity interval training with its beyond athlete peak body alterations should also result in reduced blood pressure when compounded by a moderate or reduced calorie diet. I've found that large dose caffeine has an extraordinary nootropic effect on my brain, it basically exponentially increases working memory far beyond human limits, so I'm not leaving caffeine behind