Drinking coffee decreases risk of depression

Things are looking up for big coffee drinkers as research claims women who drink four cups a day are less likely to suffer depression

As well as giving us a morning pick up or helping with the afternoon lull, research shows that coffee also decreases the risk of depression.

Scientists believe coffee's mood boosting effect lasts much longer than the caffeine fix, finding women who drink more than four cups a day are a fifth less likely to become depressed, while those who sip two to three are 15 per cent less likely to be depressed.

'Our results support a possible protective effect of caffeine, mainly from coffee consumption on risk of depression,' says Dr Michael Lucas from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

'Further investigations are needed to confirm this finding and to determine whether usual caffeinated coffee consumption may contribute to prevention or treatment of depression.'

Depression will affect one in seven women in their lifetime, but the study suggests that in future coffee could be used as an antidepressant or as a means of preventing depression.

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