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Women who had four or more cups a day were 20% less likely to suffer mood disorder ;))

Trying to cut down on your coffee habit? Well, you might not have to.

We all know people who literally cannot function in the morning until their first sip of Java. I know for me, freshly brewed coffee helps me get out of bed. Over the years coffee has acquired a bad name. We have heard things like, ‘coffee stunts you growth’  and other myths. Yet, despite bad reports, coffee lovers constantly return to their pot of Joe; and that may be a good thing.

A new study, which has been published in the Sept. 26th issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, states “Researchers have probed caffeine’s effect on heart health, markers of inflammation and cancer (generally the effects are benign or even positive), but there’s been relatively little research into its effects on mood.

What little research has been done has generally found a salubrious effect, with more coffee decreasing depressive symptoms and even being associated with a lower risk of suicide.

“Caffeine has short-term positive effects on mood, subjective feelings of having more energy and being more awake in the short term,” said study senior author Dr. Alberto Ascherio, who is a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.

It seemed natural “to see whether long-term coffee consumption associated with a lower risk of developing depression,” he added.

A relationship between caffeinated coffee and depression does make a certain amount of biological sense, experts say.

“Caffeine is known to affect the release of several neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin, that had been implicated in regulating mood and depression,” said Ascherio, who is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.”

Read the full story here

Now, let’s not get carried away. Although this  study boasts coffee’s benefits, there is a lot more research that has to be done. Besides, there are other ways to boost your mood  like exercising, listening to music, or chatting with a friend. Everything in moderation as the saying goes.