Scientists are always exploring new ways to understand our bodies—and one team from the University of Toronto has discovered something interesting about coffee.
Led by researcher Ahmed El-Sohemy, the team looked into how coffee affects our kidneys. What they found? It all comes down to our genes.
There’s a specific gene called CYP1A2 that plays a big role in how our bodies process caffeine. Think of this gene like a little instruction book inside your body. It tells your body how fast or slow to break down caffeine from your morning coffee.
Some people have a version of this gene that works super fast—like a race car zooming along. These people can usually enjoy a few cups of coffee without much trouble.
Others have a slower version of the gene—more like a snail—which means their bodies take longer to handle caffeine. For them, too much coffee might not be so good, especially for their kidneys.
So how much is “too much”? The researchers say that about three cups of coffee a day is the safe limit for most people. Some adults might be able to handle four cups, but it really depends on their genes. The fascinating part is that the world is pretty evenly split: about half of people have the fast version of the gene, and the other half have the slow one.
Here’s the exciting news—there’s actually a test that can tell you which version of the caffeine gene you have! Knowing this can help you decide how much coffee is right for you, keeping your kidneys and your whole body healthier.
Why does all this matter? Because our kidneys do an important job—they clean our blood and help keep our bodies balanced. Taking care of our kidneys means eating healthy foods, drinking enough water, staying active, and being careful with medications and other things that could stress the kidneys.
As we sip our favorite cup of coffee, scientists like El-Sohemy and his team are busy exploring how foods and genes affect our health. They’re also looking into new ways to protect our kidneys, including special diets and future medicines.
If you’re curious to know more, the team’s research is published in JAMA Network Open for all the coffee lovers and science fans out there.
So, next time you enjoy your coffee, ask yourself—am I a caffeine race car or a snail? Understanding how our bodies work helps us make smarter choices every day. Let’s raise our mugs to science, health, and a better understanding of what keeps us feeling great.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about Scientists find important cause of kidney disease and findings of Cruciferous vegetables may reverse kidney damage in diabetics.
For more about kidney health, please read studies about High blood pressure drugs may affect kidney health and findings of Effective home remedies for kidney infections.
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