Study Suggests Filtered and Instant Coffee Consumption May Have Differing Impacts on Health – CoffeeTalk

In a study published in *npj Science of Food*, researchers investigated the relationships between coffee consumption and biological aging, a complex process marked by functional decline. With an increasing aging population, understanding factors that could delay biological aging is vital, and diet plays a significant role. Coffee, a widely consumed beverage, has been partly studied regarding its effects on health, yet its specific influence on biological aging remains inadequately explored.

The research centered around differing coffee brewing methods and their implications for biological aging, utilizing data from the United Kingdom Biobank (UKB). Participants were filtered based on dietary information completeness, with coffee consumption data collected through food frequency questionnaires and detailed 24-hour dietary recalls, noting various types of coffee. Biological aging was assessed via three metrics: relative leukocyte telomere length (rLTL), PhenoAge Acceleration (PhenoAge Accel), and Klemera-Doubal Method Biological Age Acceleration (KDM-BA Accel). The study also accounted for numerous covariates including demographic statistics, lifestyle factors, and health conditions.

A total of 49,414 UKB participants were analyzed, averaging 56.4 years in age with a sizable portion having hypertension. Coffee consumption averaged 0.7, 1.5, and 0.03 cups of filtered, instant, and other coffee types daily, respectively, with notable segments drinking decaffeinated coffee or coffee with milk. The findings indicated that instant coffee correlated with accelerated biological aging as represented by increased scores in PhenoAge Accel and KDM-BA Accel and decreased rLTL compared to non-consumers. In contrast, higher intake of filtered coffee linked with reduced PhenoAge Accel and KDM-BA Accel and increased rLTL, suggesting slower aging.

Subgroup analysis revealed that individuals consuming more than three cups of instant coffee daily, especially males, older adults, and smokers, displayed elevated age-acceleration scores. Interestingly, males drinking excess filtered coffee had decreased age-acceleration metrics. The consistency of findings persisted throughout sensitivity analyses, although potential residual confounding remained a concern. Mediation analysis identified cystatin C and basal metabolic rate (BMR) as mediators for filtered coffee’s relationship with biological age acceleration.

The overall conclusion posits that filtered coffee intake associates with positive aging biomarkers, in contrast to instant coffee, which correlates with negative aging indicators. However, the cross-sectional nature of the study limits causal inferences. Self-reported data, a predominantly White cohort, and the lack of longitudinal data or clinical outcomes complicate the findings’ interpretation. The study highlights the need for future prospective and interventional research to refine dietary guidelines surrounding coffee consumption and aging. Potential mediators identified, such as GlycA, BMR, and cystatin C, require further exploration in relation to these associations.

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