Minimizing a coffee hobby Depression

Hobbies sipping coffee was beneficial for mental health. Research shows women who like coffee have a lower risk to suffer from depression than women who do not have a coffee or just a cup of coffee a day.

Although still too early to recommend coffee habits in order to prevent depression, but research results are published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine was at least able to reduce the guilt of coffee addicts.

"The results of this research can reduce the negative image of coffee consumption. Caffeine in high doses has been associated with symptoms of anxiety and other psychiatric illnesses, so many experts recommend to reduce the coffee," said Dr.Christopher Cargile, a psychiatrist from Texas who was not involved in the research this.

About 80 percent of caffeine in the world is consumed in the form of coffee. Caffeine itself is a nervous system stimulant most widely used. Research has shown caffeine effect on heart health, inflammation and cancer. But few researchers who are interested in knowing the effects of caffeine on mood.

"In the short term caffeine has a positive effect on mood, increase energy and make us instantly awake. Because it's interesting to know what effect it has in the long run," said senior researcher Dr.Alberto Ascherio, associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

In a study involving 51 000 women, average age 63 years, the researchers followed their health. At the beginning of the study, none of the respondents who reported suffering from depression or taking antidepressants.

The women who consumed four cups of coffee per day reduced the risk to suffer depression 20 per cent, while eating two to three cups, the risk decreased 15 percent compared with a cup of coffee every day.

"Caffeine has the effect of the release of several neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin. It was certainly influential in setting the mood and depression," said Ascherio who is also a lecturer at Harvard Medical School.

Even so the actual long-term effects of caffeine is not known. "If caffeine has an antidepressant effect, we can take the content of the most powerful effect in driving depression," he said.