Less depression through coffee

Coffee drinkers were less prone to depression in a long-term study

28/09/2011

Coffee beans have long been associated with numerous health benefits. Coffee enlivens the senses, is stimulating and should also protect against cardiovascular diseases. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found that coffee appears to reduce the onset of the mental illness depression based on data analysis. The exact circumstances are still unclear.

Coffee can apparently protect against depression. Especially women should benefit from this context, as a scientific study of the medical school in Havard found out. During a study, the researchers evaluated the data from a total of 50,000 women from the United States. The women examined were on average 63 years old. The study accompanied the women since the beginning in 1996 exactly 10 years. During the study period, the subjects filled out several questionnaires at different time intervals. In it, for example, the women were asked about daily coffee consumption and depressive moods. At the beginning of the study, none of the participants suffered from mental illness. To differentiate, participating women were classified as depressed who were diagnosed by a psychiatrist or physician and given drugs such as antidepressants.

Long-term study of 50,000 US women
During the study period, exactly 2607 women fell ill with depression. It was noticeable to the research team that there were hardly any coffee drinkers among the patients. Women who drank up to four cups of coffee per day lowered their risk of disease by about 20 percent. However, those who regularly drank decaffeinated coffee showed no risk reduction against manifested depression. According to the researchers assume that the caffeine contained in coffee play a crucial role as an agent. After all, coffee is known to create a sense of well-being and to encourage activities. It is likely that the drug is directly involved in the organism by blocking adenosine receptors. This blockade has a similar effect as the increase in dopamine production. Dopamine produces an increased impulse, provides a higher ability to attract attention and stimulates joy and joyful excitement.

Connections still unexplored
Whether an actual context exists, with this statement, the scientists are still cautious. Finally, the complex physiognomic relationships are not thoroughly researched. It could therefore also be because people with depressed mood less or no coffee or fall back on coffee without Kopffegestalt. Typically, depression manifests itself with stroke disorders and anxieties. Caffeine is known to increase anxiety and falling asleep. Here further studies would have to follow to secure the observations. As long as there is no certainty, the research team does not want to understand the results of the meta-analysis as an invitation to grab a pot of coffee in depressive episodes. If depression is suspected, qualified therapists and doctors are still the drug of choice.

Hardly any other natural food has inspired science as much as coffee. According to the Federal Association of Coffee Manufacturers, Germans drink an average of around 150 liters of coffee every year. Several research had found different positive effects on the human organism. For example, coffee should lower the risk of prostate cancer in men, prevent strokes, and protect the heart from serious cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks. Still holds the belief that coffee consumption such as cardiac arrhythmias „Herzstolpern“ causing. This assumption has already been refuted in a study. The fact is that the positive properties of coffee tend to outweigh it. Who drinks one, two or three cups a day and also enjoys a good general constitution, can not go wrong. Excessive consumption, however, can also cause unwanted consequences such as tachycardia (tachycardia). Therefore, consumption should always be moderate. (Sb)

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Image: Romeo Sestito