Coffee linked to lower rates of depression

Drinking several cups of coffee a day may help prevent depression in women, a study suggests.

Four or more cups of caffeinated coffee cut the risk of clinical depression by 20 per cent when compared with drinking one or fewer cups per week.

The research, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, involved 50,739 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study, a major US investigation exploring health and lifestyle.

Researchers found no similar association with decaffeinated coffee or other sources of caffeine, including soft drinks and tea.