This article explores how caffeine lowers the risk of certain skin cancers. Caffeine guards against certain skin cancers by inhibiting a protein enzyme in the skin called ATR. Studies done with mice fed caffeinated water and exposed to UVB radiation that damaged the DNA in their skin cells showed that these mice were able to kill off a greater percentage of the badly damaged cells and reduce the risk of those cells becoming cancerous. Another study was done where the ATR was modified and removed from the mice and these genetically modified mice developed tumors more slowly than the unmodified mice, but when exposed to ultraviolet rays for an extended period of time tumors developed in both the modified and unmodified mice suggesting that inhibiting the ATR enzyme works best at the pre-cancerous stage. This research has led scientists to believe that caffeine applied directly to the skin might help prevent UV light from causing skin cancer. It has been known that coffee drinking is linked to a decreased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, but now there needs to be studies investigating whether topical caffeine can inhibit sunlight induced skin cancer.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Caffeine lowers risk of skin cancer
This article explores how caffeine lowers the risk of certain skin cancers. Caffeine guards against certain skin cancers by inhibiting a protein enzyme in the skin called ATR. Studies done with mice fed caffeinated water and exposed to UVB radiation that damaged the DNA in their skin cells showed that these mice were able to kill off a greater percentage of the badly damaged cells and reduce the risk of those cells becoming cancerous. Another study was done where the ATR was modified and removed from the mice and these genetically modified mice developed tumors more slowly than the unmodified mice, but when exposed to ultraviolet rays for an extended period of time tumors developed in both the modified and unmodified mice suggesting that inhibiting the ATR enzyme works best at the pre-cancerous stage. This research has led scientists to believe that caffeine applied directly to the skin might help prevent UV light from causing skin cancer. It has been known that coffee drinking is linked to a decreased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, but now there needs to be studies investigating whether topical caffeine can inhibit sunlight induced skin cancer.
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ReplyDeleteThis would be amazing if it's actually true. Since most of us love laying out in the sun all summer long, i'm sure mostly everyone wouldn't mind adding caffeine to their diet to reduce the risk of skin cancer. I love this study!
ReplyDeleteThis gives me an excuse to keep drinking more coffee! Great article.
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