A cup of coffee, a youth - Use evidence from evidence-based medicine to tell you the benefits of drinking coffee

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Opening statement: This article was originally written by Dr. Peng Fen from the Department of Dermatology at Peking University People's Hospital, a member of the dermatology team. Please do not reprint without permission.

A culture that has continued for many years may be influencing you and those around you, or it may have actually begun to influence this era.

Public opinion always has mixed attitudes towards such coffee culture. If you are always hesitant when picking it up, or feel listless when not drinking it, then you might as well read on and let us interpret coffee scientifically.

1. It is not the caffeine in coffee that has the anti-aging effect, but the polyphenols. If your cells are young, are you still far from being young?

On May 15, 2014, a foreign scholar research team proposed the concept of cell autophagy . Simply put, cells need metabolism, and autophagy is an inevitable path for cells to renew themselves. Many independent studies have shown that lack of nutrition and energy will lead to cell autophagy, thereby delaying the aging process. The study also proved that it is not caffeine but polyphenols in coffee that have anti-aging effects. Polyphenols increase this autophagy to keep cells forever young. If your cells are young, are you still far from being young? (June 15, 2014, issue of Cell Cycle Pietrocola et al.)

Second, coffee can protect the skin and slow down photoaging. Polyphenols including chlorogenic acid may reduce the pigmentation of spots .

This article introduces an epidemiological study that included 131 Japanese women. After complex statistical analysis, the following results were obtained: The intake of coffee and polyphenols is statistically significant in reducing skin spots. People who have the habit of drinking coffee or consuming chlorogenic acid have significantly fewer spots. Conclusion: Coffee can protect the skin and slow down photoaging. Polyphenols including chlorogenic acid may reduce the pigmentation of spots . (ps: Popular science: Chlorogenic acid is one of the main antibacterial and antiviral effective pharmacological ingredients of honeysuckle) (2015 Skinphotoprotectionand consumption of coffee and polyphenols in healthy middle-aged Japanese femalesYoichi Fukushima, PhD)

3. Caffeine intake can significantly reduce the occurrence of malignant melanoma of the skin .

In fact, a survey conducted by Harvard School of Public Health earlier showed that women who have a habit of consuming caffeine have an 18% lower risk of developing basal cell carcinoma than women who rarely consume coffee. A similar effect was also seen in men - the risk of basal cell carcinoma can be reduced by 13% due to caffeine intake. This conclusion may be based on the fact that caffeine can repair skin cells damaged by ultraviolet rays, thereby preventing them from becoming cancerous. (January 27, 2016 Higher Caffeinated Coffee Intake Is Associated with Reduced Malignant Melanoma Risk: A Meta-Analysis Study. Liu J, Shen B.)

4. Caffeine contains antioxidants that fight free radical damage.

Almost everyone has heard of these two words, but few know how they work. In fact, the mechanism is very simple. Free radicals are like a crazy and aggressive race: they can start a vicious chain reaction, attack cells, proteins and DNA, and eventually cause skin aging. Our body uses antioxidants to resist the invasion of free radicals, and antioxidants can hinder or slow down this chain reaction. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E can "break the reaction chain" and stop free radicals from wreaking havoc by robbing electrons from other molecules. And caffeine provides anti-aging benefits to the skin in this way.

5. So many skin care products have started to use caffeine for a while, but in fact, caffeine only temporarily causes mast cell dehydration, absorbs the water from mast cells, and makes the skin look smoother and more delicate, but this effect is often immediate and not a long-term solution. And the efficacy and safety of topical caffeine remain to be studied . There is no medical evidence that caffeine can reduce dark circles , but it is just a guess. Maybe it is related to its vasoconstriction effect? ​​In short, female compatriots, when choosing skin care products, do not overestimate the efficacy of a certain ingredient. Maintain a reasonable biological schedule and a healthy life is the foundation of beauty.

6. Let me talk about my own experience (personal opinion only): I once thought that drinking coffee would stimulate the growth of acne, but later I found out that it was the sugar and milk in my favorite mocha or latte. At present , there is evidence that the only food that can cause acne is sugar. In addition, milk is also a suspected cause. There is no literature that drinking coffee can increase the occurrence of acne . Because I have been suffering from migraine for a long time, and there is no particularly good treatment for it, it is particularly important to relieve pain symptomatically. Among them, the "painkillers" that are effective in treating headaches contain caffeine. So the habit of 1 to 2 cups of coffee a day has significantly improved my quality of life. The mechanism is still unclear, but I heard that caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can excite the cerebral cortex, increase sensitivity to the outside world, and have the effect of constricting cerebral blood vessels and relieving headaches.

7. Finally, even though coffee is good, remember not to drink too much . The 2015 edition of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommends that 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day is a healthy diet. Given the physical differences between China and the United States, this number of cups may be a bit too much for you. Please consider reducing the amount as appropriate.

Good or bad, as long as you handle it properly, it can benefit you. May you be well.

Health is with you, we are together. A team of dermatologists provides scientific knowledge, and everyone is welcome to interact and correct us.

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Weibo: @Dermatology Dr. Xu Hongjun