Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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."

2 of 37 comments (clear)

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

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

    --
    #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
  2. 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!