Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41290361›Full record

ArticleBMJ mental health2025

Coffee intake is associated with telomere length in severe mental disorders.

Vid Mlakar, Marta Di Forti, Els F Halff, Deepak P Srivastava, Ibrahim Akkouh, Srdjan Djurovic, Carmen Martin-Ruiz, Daniel S Quintana, Viktoria Birkenæs, Nils Eiel Steen and 3 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMJ mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Vid MlakarSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK vid.2.mlakar@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID 0009-0000-2812-621X
Marta Di FortiSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Els F HalffSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Deepak P SrivastavaDepartment of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Ibrahim AkkouhDepartment of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Srdjan DjurovicDepartment of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Carmen Martin-RuizAgeing Research Laboratories, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Daniel S QuintanaDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Viktoria BirkenæsCentre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Nils Eiel SteenCentre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Monica Beg OrmerodCentre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Ole A AndreassenCentre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Monica AasSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2338-5826

Funding

MRC fellowship Medical Research Center MR/W027720/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTelomere length (TL) is an indicator of cellular ageing, with patients with severe mental disorders tending to have shorter telomeres than the general population. Coffee consumption may reduce oxidative stress, helping prevent biological ageing processes like telomeric shortening. The UK National Health Service advises limiting caffeine intake to 400 mg/day (4 cups of coffee). However, the role of coffee consumption and TL in psychiatric populations remains unclear.

methodsThis cross-sectional study included 436 participants (schizophrenia spectrum (n=259) and affective disorders (n=177)) from the Norwegian TOP study. Leucocyte TL was measured via blood using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Patients self-reported coffee consumption, quantified as cups per day (no coffee, 1-2, 3-4, 5+).

resultsAn inverted J-shape was found between TL and coffee intake, peaking at 3-4 cups/day before declining after 4 cups (F=3.29, p=0.02). The largest TL difference was between those drinking the highest recommended dose and non-drinkers (F=6.13, p=0.01). Coffee drinkers within the recommended dose had longer TL, comparable to 5 years younger biological age, adjusted for confounders.

conclusionCoffee intake within the recommended dose is linked to longer telomeres in severe mental disorders, comparable to 5 years younger biological age.

Indexed as

CoffeeMood DisordersSchizophreniaTelomereAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNorwayTelomere ShorteningCoffeeDepression & mood disordersPSYCHIATRYSchizophrenia & psychotic disorders

Identifiers

PMID41290361
PMCPMC12658549

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.