Coffee has repeatedly been associated with longer life and a lower risk of several chronic illnesses. Even so, scientists have not fully understood the biological processes that might explain those benefits.
New findings from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) point to one possible answer. Researchers found that certain compounds in coffee may activate NR4A1, a receptor that is becoming increasingly important in studies of aging, stress responses and disease.
The research, recently published in Nutrients, offers one of the first direct links between coffee compounds and NR4A1. That connection may help explain some of the broad health effects associated with drinking coffee.
"Coffee has well-known health-promoting properties," said Dr. Stephen Safe, distinguished professor and Sid Kyle Endowed Chair in Veterinary Toxicology in VMBS' Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology. "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."
How NR4A1 Helps Protect the Body
