It might be called addiction if you are drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day, but you will take a deep breath when your doctor will say that drink at least 4 cups of coffee a day when you are in your old age because it will help you recover from a heart attack. Research is done on mice and the results showed that coffee promotes movement of a regulatory protein into mitochondria — cell powerhouse — which then enhances their function to protect cardiovascular cells from damage. The protein called p27, an inhibitor of the cell cycle, was present in mitochondria in the major cell types of the heart.

In these cells, mitochondrial p27 promoted migration of endothelial cells, protected heart muscle cells from cell death and triggered the conversion of fibroblasts into cells containing contractile fibres — all crucial for repair of heart muscle after myocardial infarction or heart attack, and did so at a concentration that is reached in humans by drinking four cups of coffee.

The results of the experiment indicate a new mode of action for caffeine, one that promotes protection and repair of heart muscle through the action of mitochondrial p27, Enhancing mitochondrial p27 could serve as a potential therapeutic strategy not only in cardiovascular diseases but also in improving health span

The research team has found that caffeine was protective against heart damage in pre-diabetic, obese mice, and in aged mice. These results can lead to better strategies for protecting heart muscle from damage, including consideration of coffee consumption or caffeine as an additional dietary factor in the elderly population.

3 effective ways that will make you wake up early