Moderate Coffee Intake May Slow Biological Aging in Severe Mental Illness

New findings published in BMJ Mental Health suggest that drinking 3–4 cups of coffee per day may help slow biological aging in individuals with severe mental illness. The study found that moderate coffee drinkers had longer telomeres—protective caps on chromosomes that shorten with age—equivalent to a biological profile around five years younger than non-coffee drinkers. However, this benefit disappeared in people who consumed five or more cups daily, forming a J-shaped relationship between intake and telomere length.

The research included 436 adults from the Norwegian TOP study, involving patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychotic depression. Telomere length was measured from white blood cells, and results remained consistent after accounting for smoking, age, sex, and treatment.

Because telomeres are highly sensitive to inflammation and oxidative stress, the authors suggest that coffee’s antioxidant properties may offer protection. Still, they caution that excessive coffee could increase cellular stress, reinforcing global guidelines to limit caffeine intake to about 400 mg per day.

09-12-2025