Coffee May Stave Off Depression

Coffee may lower the risk of depression in women, says a large study. Only drinkers of caffeinated coffee had the lower risk. Women who drank 4 cups per day had a 20% lower risk of having signs of depression, compared with those who drank decaf or no coffee at all. Those who drank 2 or 3 cups per day had a 15% lower risk. Coffee also has been linked with lower risks of stroke, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. The study was part of a large research project called the Nurses’ Health Study. It tracked 51,000 women. The coffee study appeared in the September 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. HealthDay News wrote about it the same day.