Scientists have identified a mechanism through which coffee compounds can help the body against age-related decline.
Coffee protects the body from ageing by binding to the NR4A1 receptor, a protein linked to stress regulation, inflammation, and cellular repair, a new study has found.
While research has associated coffee consumption with longer life and lower risk of chronic disease, exactly how those benefits occur has until now remained unclear, the study noted.
Researchers at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) in the United States found that compounds in coffee bind to a receptor in the body known as NR4A1 , a protein linked to ageing, stress response, and disease
“Coffee has well-known health-promoting properties,” said Stephen Safe, from VMBS.
“What we’ve shown is that some of those effects may be linked to how coffee compounds interact with this receptor, which is involved in protecting the body from stress-induced damage.”
NR4A1 is a nuclear receptor that helps regulate gene activity in response to stress and damage in the body.
The reseachers described it as a “nutrient sensor”, a receptor that responds to compounds found in the diet and plays a role in maintaining health as the body ages.
The protein NR4A1 helps manage inflammation, energy levels, and tissue repair; all key factors in preventing conditions such as cancer and cognitive decline.
In their study, the researchers found that specific coffee compounds, particularly polyphenols and polyhydroxylated constituents, bind to the receptor, influencing its activity.
The team also found that these compounds could influence disease protection, including reducing cellular damage and slowing cancer cell growth.
When NR4A1 was removed from cells, those protective effects disappeared, supporting the receptor’s role in mediating coffee’s impact.
“If you damage almost any tissue, NR4A1 responds to bring that damage down,” Safe said. “If you take that receptor away, the damage is worse.”
Despite these findings, the researchers warn that coffee’s health benefits are not limited to one pathway.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Safe said. “We’ve made the connection, but we need to better understand how important that connection is.”
The mechanisms behind the health effects of coffee are being widely investigated. A recent study found that moderate caffeinated coffee intake was associated with reduced anxiety, and improved vigilance and attention. Caffeine was also linked to a reduced risk of inflammation.
The research also found that decaffeinated coffee also saw consumers experience an improvement in learning and memory, suggesting that components other than caffeine, such as polyphenols, are responsible for these cognitive benefits.