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Topical Caffeine Might Help Fight Skin Cancer

Posted by kdawson on from the pour-it-on-your-head dept.

seattle-pk notes a story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about the apparent protective effects of caffeine against skin cancer. "For some years, studies have hinted at the possibility that caffeine can reduce the risk of some cancers. Now, new work by scientists at the University of Washington and Rutgers University may have unlocked the biochemical secrets behind caffeine's cancer-fighting ability. Studies at Rutgers (PDF) have shown that caffeine applied to the skin reverses ultraviolet-induced damage and reduces skin cancer."

37 comments

  1. Caffeinated soap? by Megane · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So you mean those guys making caffeinated soap were on to something after all?

    --
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    1. Re:Caffeinated soap? by F-3582 · · Score: 1

      Other than giving people goosebumps? Guess why people buy caffeinated shampoo... Pointy hair looks sooooo sexy...

  2. Your Honor by ardyng · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wasn't assaulting the plaintiff when I splashed a mug of scalding coffee on him. I was merely attempting to increase his well being by trying to prevent skin cancer. ^.^

  3. And its other effects? by davecrusoe · · Score: 4, Informative

    Caffeine isn't just *possibly* good against skin cancer. There are definitely other things it's OK for, such as learning and memory, or at least, that thing we all do: work! See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Effects_on_memory_and_learning for all its complexities. Its really pretty interesting...

    1. Re:And its other effects? by mOdQuArK! · · Score: 1

      It was also considered fairly effective as an early form of insecticide.

    2. Re:And its other effects? by Phisbut · · Score: 1

      There are definitely other things it's OK for, such as learning and memory, or at least, that thing we all do: work!

      What's that again? I thought we were all on /. just to prevent that kind of behavior...

      --
      After 3 days without programming, life becomes meaningless
      - The Tao of Programming
    3. Re:And its other effects? by Plekto · · Score: 1

      Well, duh...

      It's the only way us older folks can keep up with those 15 year olds online.

  4. Coffee disposal by BunnyFlying · · Score: 1

    So now, instead of dumping all the cold/badly brewed coffee, we can just pour it on ourselves...

    --
    Unidentified Flying Bunny in the Sky (BunnyFlying)
    1. Re:Coffee disposal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think there was a lawsuit about this at one point...

  5. That makes sense by mapkinase · · Score: 1

    That's why our company has mostly caffeinated drinks in the vending machine!

    --
    I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
  6. Thanks a Latte. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 0

    Ok, I got nothing after that.

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    1. Re:Thanks a Latte. by mfnickster · · Score: 1

      Surely you must get inspired by the billions of coffee shops with stupid "bean," "grind" or "grounds" puns in their names..?

      "The Daily Grind"
      "The Stomping Grounds"
      "Bean Vivant"

      etc. etc.

      --
      "Slow down, Cowboy! It has been 3 years, 7 months and 26 days since you last successfully posted a comment."
  7. Something to look forwards to by sunderland56 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Your local Starbucks is going to be a lot more interesting to visit.

    Well, on second thought, the one over by the University where the coeds hang out, will be more interesting. The one over by the retirement home, not so much.

  8. Looks like a new advertising line for ThinkGeek by Enleth · · Score: 1

    They've got caffeinated soap, shampoo, shower gel and whatnot for sale - and now, they can advertise them as cancer-preventing in addition to jolt-giving! BTW, does anybody here have any experience with those caffeinated soaps and shampoos and can confirm their effectiveness? Just curious, they look quite plausible, but it's always good to know a first-hand opinion.

    --
    This is Slashdot. Common sense is futile. You will be modded down.
    1. Re:Looks like a new advertising line for ThinkGeek by beefsprocket · · Score: 2, Informative
      That's a big negative. From our friendly local erowid:

      A search for scientific studies about the permeability of caffeine through mammalian skin yielded several webpages describing caffeine's poor ability to be absorbed transdermally. While one page did describe caffeine as having "good penetrating capability", this was in a study in which the skin was exposed for 4 hrs using radioactivly labelled caffeine. Even then, with a 1 mg or 9.3 mg caffeine per 100 cm^2 area of skin the absorbed dose was calculated to be only 17% and 1.6%.
      Assuming the entire 250mg dose of caffeine suggested by the soap manufacturer made it to the skin and was held there for 4 hours, the above research would suggest that one would expect a dose between 4 and 42mg of caffeine. This dose is less than a typical cup of coffee.
    2. Re:Looks like a new advertising line for ThinkGeek by matt4077 · · Score: 1

      It's a scam second only to oxigenated water. But there are always idiots willing to buy it, even on slashdot apparently.

      --
      Fleur de Sel
    3. Re:Looks like a new advertising line for ThinkGeek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But there are always idyots willing to buy it, even on slashdot apparently. Fixed. (I agree though =D)
    4. Re:Looks like a new advertising line for ThinkGeek by overcaffein8d · · Score: 1

      for caffeine (or any drug, for that matter) to go to through the skin, you'd have to have a carrier.

      --
      Those of us who think they know everything annoy those of us who do.
  9. Obligatory... by calebt3 · · Score: 1

    ...link to our favorite retailer: http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/accessories/5a65/

  10. This Is Good News by NMR+Dude · · Score: 1

    I'll be sure to rub some Mountain Dew on my face the next time I pop open a can.

    1. Re:This Is Good News by Adambomb · · Score: 3, Funny

      Dude.

      Bees.

      --
      Ice Cream has no bones.
    2. Re:This Is Good News by NMR+Dude · · Score: 1

      OK, Diet Mountain Dew.

  11. New fad: coffee tan. by Garridan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Granted, I live in Seattle, so I might be biased -- this sounds like a great alternative to tanning. You go in, get some coffee sprayed on... it turns your skin a nice healthy brownish, and reduces damage from previous tans / burns. The color of coffee stained skin is *much* better than the fake orange stuff. (though... I would miss the sight of preppy girls that look like oompa loompas -- that never ceases to amuse me)

  12. Overrated. by Lewrker · · Score: 0

    Even if it does fight skin cancer, it still doesn't do all the things it's advertised to do. Some fresh water and glucose do a much better job at raising alertness than a brown mug of acidic dirt. Unless it's in an energy drink, which actually also contains fuel as well as afterburner for the brain.

    1. Re:Overrated. by mfnickster · · Score: 1

      Some fresh water and glucose do a much better job at raising alertness than a brown mug of acidic dirt. Unless it's in an energy drink, which actually also contains fuel as well as afterburner for the brain.

      Well, I don't know how you like your coffee, but I make mine with fresh water, and then I add glucose. :)

      --
      "Slow down, Cowboy! It has been 3 years, 7 months and 26 days since you last successfully posted a comment."
    2. Re:Overrated. by Fluffy+the+attack+ki · · Score: 1

      I use sucrose and a splash of lactose.

  13. Re:Why the hell does this have a score of 2 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They haven't stopped crying yet.

  14. To paraphrase Captain Kirk by Profane+MuthaFucka · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What does a coffee plant need with caffeine? Surely coffee plants didn't evolve caffeine production because it wanted to stimulate humans. And certainly a coffee plant never had to use caffeine to stay awake while cramming for the LSAT. So what's it good for?

    Maybe these beneficial effects that we're discovering might help us understand just why is it that so many kinds of plants make caffeine.

    --
    Fascism trolls keeping me up every night. When I starts a preachin', he HITS ME WITH HIS REICH!
    1. Re:To paraphrase Captain Kirk by Carbon016 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Caffeine is quite an effective pesticide. It's an evolutionary self-defense mechanism against insects, especially effective when you're still in the "I don't have any protective stuff" phase like a seedling.

    2. Re:To paraphrase Captain Kirk by rtb61 · · Score: 1
      Could it possibly have something to do with over stimulating nocturnal herbivorous insects and get then staying out after lights up, where in their frenzied and 'buzzed' out state, they more readily become a meal for the carnivorous types. So hyper bugs that stay up for just that one bite to many and, then they themselves get bitten.

      So do the carnivorous typed prefer caffeinated meals, perhaps some human caffeine addicts can tells the rest of us how well they fair against mosquitoes and the like ;).

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    3. Re:To paraphrase Captain Kirk by fortheloveofjava · · Score: 1

      Caffeine does what it does because it mimics and inhibits the effects of adenosine, a common neurotransmitter that itself acts as a CNS inhibitor, so it could be said that caffeine is an "inhibitor inhibitor". In humans, this has the pleasant effects that we've come to know and love. The nervous system of insects, however, employs adenosine somewhat differently, so the effects of caffeine are considerably more dramatic. Viva Wikipedia! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Mechanism_of_action

  15. Bad Summary by DoctorLard · · Score: 2, Informative

    "Studies at Rutgers (PDF) have shown that caffeine applied to the skin reverses ultraviolet-induced damage and reduces skin cancer."
    Caffeine applied to the skin? Reverses UV damage? Reduces skin cancer? I call bullshit. Reading TFA reveals:
    1. this was a test on mice,
    2. it measured the apoptosis (programmed cell death) incidence in sunburnt skin tissue, using a microscopy assessment,
    3. the caffeine was orally administered, and
    4. caffeine combined with voluntary exercise was greater than either effect alone.
    The rest is mostly (well-informed) speculation about the possible mechanisms behind it, and the usual "requires further investigation" clauses to get more funding. A better summary would be:

    "Studies at Rutgers (PDF) have shown that caffeine in combination with exercise greatly increases (more than either factor alone) the apoptosis (programmed cell death) rate in UV damaged skin tissue in mice, which may indicate a reduced risk of skin cancer."
    1. Re:Bad Summary by omris · · Score: 1

      thank you. i thought i had read the wrong article.

      in other news, stimulants makes you lose weight?!? shocking.

  16. Aticle on same page referring to topical caffeine by nikolajsheller · · Score: 1
    The summary linked to the wrong article with regards to the topical caffeine treatment. It should probalby have been this study (found on the site referred to):
    http://www.pnlab.org/news/documents/KooCaffeine.pdf

    Excerpt:
    Caffeine applied topically after UV treatment resulted in a significant decrease in UV-induced skin roughness/transverse rhytides as assessed by treatment-blinded examiners.

    Interesting stuff.
    -Nikolaj

  17. "Clowns Hate Tangelos" by Bushido+Hacks · · Score: 1

    Someone from Starbucks decided to publish this "Clowns Hate Tangelos" type of story.

    Yet more NEWS that instructing you to CONSUME!

    Here's a news flash, Corporate America: EVERYBODY'S BROKE!

    --
    The Rapture is NOT an exit strategy.
  18. Good News for McDonalds by trongey · · Score: 1

    Now they can send a huge bill for cancer prevention therapy to that lady who got the rediculous judgement against them when she spilled coffee on herself.

    --
    You never really know how close to the edge you can go until you fall off.