Scientists in Spain have found that higher consumption of polyphenols — plant compounds found in coffee and fruit — is associated with a lower risk of telomere shortening, a marker of cellular ageing. The findings were published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.
The researchers analyzed data from 1,665 people over the age of 55. They compared participants’ dietary habits with telomere length. Telomeres are protective structures at the ends of chromosomes that help prevent the loss of important genetic information during DNA replication. After a certain number of cell divisions — around 50 — telomeres become too short, and the cell stops dividing. This process is known as cellular senescence.
The participants were divided into groups according to their dietary polyphenol intake. Those who consumed the highest amounts of these compounds had a 49% lower risk of telomere shortening than those with the lowest intake. A similar association was observed for flavonoids, a subgroup of polyphenols.
Coffee and fruit stood out among the foods associated with a lower risk of telomere shortening. However, the association between polyphenol intake and telomere length was observed in participants under 64, but not in older individuals.
Polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The researchers suggest that these compounds may help protect cells against oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which have been linked to damage to cellular structures.
However, the study identified a statistical association rather than proving that coffee and fruit directly slow the ageing process.
“Telomere length may also be influenced by other lifestyle and health factors. Therefore, the findings do not mean that increasing consumption of these foods will necessarily prolong the youthfulness of cells,” the researchers said.
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