Health News

Good news for coffee addicts! Regular intake of caffeine, the active ingredient of coffee, may reduce the risk of skin cancer. How? According to the findings of a new study, caffeine kills the human cells damaged by harmful ultraviolet light, which is one of the main causes of several skin cancer. It means that caffeine can provide protection against non melanoma skin cancer, which is typically caused by exposure to harmful ultraviolet light.

The University of Washington study found that caffeine prompts cells damaged by ultraviolet light to self-destruct by interrupting the ATR-Chk1 protein. The ATR protein is that particular protein which helps damaged cells grow rapidly, which ultimately leads to cancer! Even with a little amount of caffeine, the damaged cells becomes unable to grow and ultimately they die. Lab tests on mice proved that caffeine can reduce the development of skin cancer by up to 72%.

Is it not interesting? In my view there is no other ingredient or molecule known to human being that can reduce skin cancer to this extent. So, the findings of the new study, which was published online in the February 26 issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, may open many doors for development of special caffeinated creams or ointments that will help reverse the effects of skin damage caused by ultraviolet light and prevent non melanoma skin cancer.