A recent study reported that consuming filtered coffee is associated with slowing biological aging, while the study shows that instant coffee has opposite effects.

In a recent study published in the journal npj Science of Food, researchers evaluated the relationship between coffee consumption and biological aging.

Aging is a complex process characterized by a gradual decline in vital functions. Given the unprecedented increase in the proportion of elderly people worldwide, identifying ways to delay biological aging remains a critical challenge.

Filtered (or drip) coffee is a method of preparing coffee that involves slowly passing hot water through ground coffee beans in a paper or metal filter. The filter prevents impurities and sediment from passing through, resulting in a clear, pure cup of coffee with a light body that highlights the original flavors of the beans (such as fruits or nuts).

Diet is among the factors influencing biological aging. In particular, coffee, one of the most consumed beverages, has been studied for its health benefits and risks.

Many studies have evaluated the relationship between coffee consumption and chronic diseases. However, the relationship between coffee consumption and biological aging remains insufficiently studied, with only a few studies yielding conflicting results. Moreover, available studies have not adequately addressed this relationship.

In this study, researchers examined the relationship between coffee preparation methods and indicators of biological aging. They analyzed data from the UK Biobank (UKB).

According to Medical Health, a food frequency questionnaire was used to determine total coffee consumption. Repeated 24-hour diet recall questionnaires collected information on coffee types, including filtered coffee, instant coffee, and other types, with the average consumption used for participants who completed multiple questionnaires.

Three indicators of biological aging were assessed: relative leukocyte telomere length (rLTL), PhenoAge acceleration, and Klemera-Doubal biological age acceleration. Relative leukocyte telomere length, a biomarker of cellular aging, was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction to estimate the ratio of telomere repeat copy number to single-copy gene copy number.

The PhenoAge Accel and KDM-BA Accel studies measured biological age based on biochemical and clinical parameters. Covariates included: age, ethnicity, sex, education, geographic region, Townsend deprivation index, alcohol consumption, smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, sugar, artificial sweeteners, or milk added to coffee, decaffeinated coffee consumption, and presence of diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, or hypertension.

Study Results

Instant coffee consumption showed notable overall trends toward increased PhenoAge acceleration and KDM-BA acceleration, but with decreased relative telomere length, consistent with accelerated biological aging.

In contrast, filtered coffee consumption showed notable overall trends toward decreased PhenoAge acceleration and KDM-BA acceleration, but with increased relative telomere length, consistent with slowed aging, although the highest consumption group did not show a significant increase in relative telomere length.

At the same time, no notable trends were observed for other coffee types. Researchers noted that most effect estimates of instant coffee indicated an age acceleration of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 years, with marginal clinical significance at the individual level.

Study results showed that among participants consuming more than 3 cups of instant coffee per day, males, individuals aged 60 years and older, and current smokers had higher KDM-BA acceleration compared to non-consumers.

In contrast, KDM-BA acceleration was lower in males who consumed more than three cups of filtered coffee per day.

Sensitivity analyses showed that results remained remarkably consistent across various analyses, including after excluding participants with cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes, as well as those who consumed coffee with sugar, artificial sweeteners, milk, or decaffeinated coffee.