Coffee is something biohacker Bryan Johnson swore off years ago in a bid to improve his health.
But it appears a new study has caused the 48-year-old, who claims to be more than a decade younger biologically than his actual age, to rethink his stance on caffeine.
In a new video, Johnson highlighted findings from Tulane University in Louisiana that showed coffee drinkers had a 16 percent lower risk of death from any cause and a 31 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to non-coffee drinkers.
However, Johnson went on to state that ‘there’s a catch [and] it matters when you drink the coffee.’
The study, which used data from 40,725 adults taking part in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018, found that drinking coffee throughout the day did not show the same reduced mortality risk.
While the scientists said that more research is needed to explain why limiting coffee to the morning is linked to greater heart health benefits, they suggested that it is possibly because afternoon or evening consumption of caffeine may disrupt sleep and hormones.
Lead author Dr Lu Qi said at the time: ‘This is the first study testing coffee drinking timing patterns and health outcomes.
‘Our findings indicate it’s not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that’s important. We don’t typically give advice about timing in our dietary guidance, but perhaps we should be thinking about this in the future.’
Bryan Johnson (shown here with his son) cited a study that found morning coffee drinkers had better health outcomes
In his video clip, Johnson warned viewers that if they are drinking coffee in the afternoon to keep yourself awake, ‘you may be losing out on the longevity benefits.’
He added: ‘Caffeine has a five to six hour half life in your body.
‘That means a cup of coffee at 3pm leaves half a cup of coffee in your body at 9pm.
‘That lingering caffeine in your system can wreck your sleep.
‘And if I haven’t said this enough, sleep is the number one thing you can do for your overall health.’
If you are drinking coffee in the morning and it is not interrupting your sleep, Johnson said that caffeine can have a multitude of health benefits and support longevity.
He revealed: ‘It can boost your metabolic rate and improve vascular function and blood flow.’
The longevity expert pointed out that caffeine and polyphenols in coffee can reduce inflammation and protect brain cells.
Graphs showing the dose-response relationships between coffee intake amounts and the risk of mortality according to patterns of coffee drinking timing
Polyphenols are natural compounds found in plants that act as antioxidants, helping to fight cell damage. Coffee contains over 100 polyphenols.
These substances can also trigger autophagy, your body’s natural process of cleaning up damaged or worn-out cells.
Johnson concluded: ‘So if you want the potential longevity benefits of coffee, focus on the earlier parts of the day, avoid the late afternoons, and also skip the sugar pumps, [or] things that are otherwise going to negate the benefits.
‘When you do caffeine right, it may also double as a longevity therapy.’
It is unclear if Johnson has now incorporated morning coffee drinking into his strict daily routine, which includes three meticulously timed vegan meals all before midday and more than 100 supplements.
As part of his longevity plan, Johnson also recently revealed that spicy chili peppers, not pricey supplements, might hold the key to living longer.
In his video clip, Johnson warned viewers that if they are drinking coffee in the afternoon to keep yourself awake, ‘you may be losing out on the longevity benefits’ (stock image)
He pointed to a 2020 study of more than 570,000 individuals in the US, Italy, China and Iran, which found that regular chili pepper eaters had a 26 percent reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 23 percent reduction in cancer mortality compared to those who did not eat the peppers.
Overall, their risk of all-cause death was 25 percent lower.
The research from the American Heart Association didn’t conclude why chili peppers improved health but previous studies have found the food has an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer and blood-glucose regulating effect due to capsaicin, which gives chili pepper its characteristic spice.
Johnson, who reportedly spends over $2 million per year on his anti-aging regimen, did not reveal if he is a regular spicy chili pepper eater, though he added to his post on X: ‘Hot ones I’m ready for you.’
