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Caffeine Reduces Skin Cancer In Mice

Posted by timothy on from the wonder-drug-that-does-wonders dept.

idonotexist writes: "According to this news article, a skin lotion spiked with caffeine can reduce by more than half the number of cancer tumors on the skin of hairless mice exposed to brutal levels of ultraviolet radiation." Keeps you awake, wards off Alzheimer's, reduces cancer ... sure, I'll take a refill.

8 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. The next thing I'm buying.... by Incongruity · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Is This.

    And to think, I laughed at Caffeinated Soap the first time I saw it...

    1. Re:The next thing I'm buying.... by Cyclone66 · · Score: 2

      Anyone know if thinkgeek offers fair shipping prices to Canada yet? Last time I checked they were outrageous!

    2. Re:The next thing I'm buying.... by spike+hay · · Score: 2

      I wonder if enough caffeine would be absorbed through your skin to wake you up, too.

      Cause that would be pretty damn cool.

      --
      If you don't understand any of my sayings, come to me in private and I shall take you in my German mouth.
  2. Caffeine OR... by Incongruity · · Score: 4, Insightful
    from the article: "A study suggests that a skin lotion spiked with caffeine or with another compound found in green tea"

    The thing to note is the "or ... another compound found in green tea." The headline of the article and /. story are maybe a bit misleading inasmuch as there are a large number of compounds in green tea besides caffeine, any one of which may be responsible for the results of the study being reported on...though the article claims after that quote, that it's a caffeine treatment, not a green tea treatment. Hmm...maybe the original journal article might make that clear...but assuming that it's a green tea based lotion (including, therefore, caffeine), then the story isn't so perfectly clear... More research will sort it out, sure, but it's just a bit early to jump up and start bathing in waterjoe or anything, I suppose.

    -inco

  3. Skin Cancer and Caffiene by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't think geeks have to worry too much about that since we consume a crap-load of caffiene and don't go outside in the sun very often (primarily for us geeks that do not live in places that have a lot of sun).

  4. Very dangerous. by infornogr · · Score: 3, Funny

    You'd have to have a lot of bawls to try something like this. We all know that a cup of caffeine is as dangerous as a red bull. Your best bet is to try the traditional methods of sun protection, the kind you apply to your skin. You should also wear clothing that provides lots of coverage. And of course, you can avoid the problem entirely by staying inside and just reading a book.

  5. I'm waiting for the day... by Snafoo · · Score: 2

    At this rate, I'm waiting for the following:

    * When milk comes 'fortified' with caffeine, like it is with Vitamin D and salt is with iodine;

    * When *not* drinking coffee increases your insurance rates.

    * When companies ask you to take a urine test, in order to verify that you're drinking enough of the stuff.

    --
    - undoware.ca
  6. You know, I tried it... by devphil · · Score: 2


    My coder girlfriend gave me some of that as one of my birthday gifts. Apparently my caffeine tolerance is so high that it's merely like an additional sip of coffee after drinking 5 cups: just not enough to register.

    Damn.

    She doesn't drink nearly as much caffeinated beverages as I do, though. I'm going to have her try it and see what happens.

    --
    You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)