Coffee found to reduce depression risk in women

Women who drink two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day have a 15% reduced risk of depression, while drinking four or more cups per day reduces the risk 20% compared to women who drink one cup, or less, per week.

The research, carried out by the Harvard School of Public Health and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, studied over 50,000 US women over a 10-year period.

Although the research does not prove that caffeine or caffeinated coffee reduces the risk of depression, the researchers suggest that it does show a convincing protective effect. While the researchers are unsure why caffeine has the observed effect they suggest caffeine may have a beneficial effect at the cellular level, and may even protect neurons from neurodegenerative disease.

In general women are more prone to depression than men, with one in five likely to suffer from it during their lifetime, making it a key priority for health organisations to address.