Like millions of other people, drinking coffee makes me happy. A new study, which looked at only women, supports the idea that coffee drinking has strong mental health effects: two or more cups a day was associated with reduced depression risk.
Photo by Stephen Cummings.
The Nurses’ Health Study evaluated over 50,000 women in the US through questionnaires from 1980 through 2004, and identified depression cases in a 10-year follow-up period. Women who drank two or three cups of coffee a day had 15 per cent less risk of depression, compared to those who drank one or less cups of coffee a week, and those who drank four or more cups a day had a 20 per cent decreased risk.
Researchers are quick to note that this (as with most studies) just proves association, not cause and effect, and the results don’t necessarily mean you should start drinking more coffee. But, with the bad rap coffee (or caffeine) gets sometimes, it’s nice to get some possible positive news too.
Drink Coffee, Stay Happy? [WebMD]
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