Women Who Drink Coffee Lower Risk of Depression

Compounds in Coffee Help Lower Depression in Women

Depression is a chronic and recurrent condition that affects twice as many women as men, including approximately one of every five U.S. women during their lifetime. Loss of productive work hours has become a significant problem in the workplace making the development of strategies to prevent the debilitating condition a priority for research scientists.

The result of a peer-reviewed journal study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine explains that consumption of caffeinated coffee can reduce the symptoms of depression in women in a dose dependent manner. This is an important finding because coffee is a popular beverage already consumed by many. Just three to four cups of java each day may just help lift your spirits and improve feelings of melancholy.

Four Cups of Coffee Consumed Daily Found to Lower Depression Symptom by 20%

Study Finds Coffee Consumption Reduces Depression Risk in a Dose Dependent Manner

The authors of the study noted that 80% of worldwide caffeine consumption is in the form of coffee, the most commonly used CNS (central nervous system) stimulant. The research leader, Dr. Michel Lucas and his team set out to determine if the consumption of coffee or other drinks containing caffeine might be linked to depression risk. To conduct the study they gathered data on 50,737 women with an average age 63 years. It was determined that none of them had depression when the study began.

The participants were part of the Nurses’ Health Study and were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire detailing their caffeine and coffee consumption over a 24 year period. The researchers determined how often they consumed caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee, non-herbal teas, caffeinated sodas (sugared or low calorie) and all types of caffeine-free soft drinks as well as chocolate intake. For the purpose of this study, depression was defined as having a diagnosis of clinical depression and being prescribed regular antidepressants during the previous two years.

Coffee Found to Lower Depression in Women in a Dose Dependent Manner

Drink 2 to 4 Cups of Fresh Brewed Caffeinated Coffee Daily to Lower Depression Risk

During the course of the study analysis, 2,607 new cases of depression were recorded among the participants. From the data collected, researchers found that women who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day were 15% less likely to develop depression compared to those who drank a maximum of one cup of caffeinated coffee per week. Further they determined women who drank at least 4 cups per day had a 20% lower risk than the females consuming only one cup per day.

Interestingly, the consumption of decaffeinated coffee had no impact on depression risk, an indicator that a synergistic link exists between chemical compounds in coffee and caffeine to produce the risk-lowering effect. Study authors concluded “In this large prospective cohort of older women free of clinical depression or severe depressive symptoms at baseline, risk of depression decreased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing consumption of caffeinated coffee.” Drinking two to four cups daily of a caffeinated coffee beverage may provide significant depression-lowering benefits in women.

Coffee Consumption Inhibits Alzheimer’s Dementia Progression

Coffee Consumption Shown to Inhibit Cognitive Decline in Seniors

Researchers publishing in the Journal of Alzheimer`s Disease have discovered that a natural chemical compound found in coffee combines with caffeine to create a protective shield against the development and progression of Alzheimer`s disease. Blood levels of a protective protein complex known as GCSF, short for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor are stimulated by coffee consumption and are shown to thwart disease progress.

Health-conscious individuals will want to consider drinking several cups of java each day to dramatically lower the risk of developing Alzheimer`s disease and preserve precious memories that can be stolen as the disease progresses.

Compound Found in Coffee Beans Protects Against Cognitive Decline

Coffee Stimulates Scavenging Brain Antioxidants into Action

Researchers used mice that are genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer`s disease to demonstrate naturally occurring compounds in coffee are able to fight off the disease process. Prior studies confirm that caffeine alone does not protect against the memory-robbing condition, yet observational studies in humans reported that daily coffee/caffeine intake during mid-life decreases the risk of Alzheimer`s disease.

The study demonstrated that caffeine consumption is an important part of the protective nature of coffee, but another yet unidentified chemical is required to maximize the effect. No protection against Alzheimer`s disease was found with consumption of decaffeinated coffee. Lead study author, neuroscientist Dr. Chuanhai Cao commented “Caffeinated coffee provides a natural increase in blood GCSF levels”.

Coffee Consumption Shown to Increase Neuron Development

Coffee Compound May Help Break Up Amyloid Protein Clusters

Mice that were fed a regular diet of caffeinated coffee (equivalent to 4 or 5 cups of coffee each day) showed a significant increase in GCSF compared to control animals fed decaffeinated coffee or water only. Dr. Cao found “The exact way that this occurs is not understood. There is a synergistic interaction between caffeine and some mystery component of coffee that provides this beneficial increase in blood GCSF levels.”

The study authors identified three critical ways that increased levels of the protective protein GCSF improve memory performance. GCSF encourages stem cells from the bone marrow to enter the brain and remove harmful beta-amyloid clusters that are the hallmark of disease progression. Further, GCSF helps to create new connections between brain cells and increases the number of new neurons in the brain. Any natural compound that promotes the release of this protein complex will protect against the development of Alzheimer`s disease.

Caffeinated coffee consumption is safe for the vast majority of adults. The study authors concluded “We see no reason why an inherently natural product such as coffee cannot be more beneficial and safer than medications, especially to protect against a disease that takes decades to become apparent after it starts in the brain.” Five cups of coffee each day may provide a protective shield against this devastating form of dementia.

Coffee Slashes Stroke Risk by 25 Percent

(Article first published as Coffee Consumption Lowers Stroke Risk by 25 Percent on Technorati.)

Coffee Compounds Lower Stroke Risk Significantly

A study following nearly 35,000 Swedish women for a period of 10 years provides evidence that one to two cups of coffee a day can lower the incidence of deadly stroke by nearly 25%. Publishing in the American Heart Association journal Stroke, researchers found the women aged 49 to 83 experienced significantly lower stroke risk when consuming the equivalent of two cups of java each day. Coffee consumed without cream and sweeteners is shown to reduce damaging systemic inflammation, lower oxidative stress and improve insulin sensitivity.

Two Cups of Coffee Each Day Found to Dramatically Lower Stroke Risk

Coffee Reduces Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

Researchers from the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute`s National Institute of Environmental Medicine examined the diet and lifestyle of the female study participants using standardized questionnaires to assess and cross reference disease development over the decade-long period. The women experienced 1,750 stroke events over the 10-year cycle. They found that participants consuming one to two cups of coffee each day were 22 to 25% less likely to suffer from any type of stroke compared to those women drinking none or less than a cup.

Although the study did not examine if there was a different risk association between decaffeinated and regular forms of coffee, the authors did note that decaffeinated coffee consumption is uncommon in Sweden where the study was conducted. The exact mechanism responsible for the stroke risk reduction was not identified. Scientists detected lower measurements of inflammation and oxidative stress in the coffee drinking group that are known to reduce risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease and believed to provide the stroke-lowering effect.

Coffee Shown to Lower Inflammation and Cellular Oxidative Stress

1 to 2 Cups of Java Daily Can Lower Heart Disease Risk

The lead researcher, Dr. Susanna Larsson remarked “Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy,” she added. “In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, liver cancer and possibly stroke.” Prior research has demonstrated a positive correlation between coffee consumption in male smokers, and this study was conducted to demonstrate that coffee provides health benefits to women as well.

Coffee has been maligned in the past, largely based on its high caffeine concentration and association as a high calorie pick me up fashioned at many high-end restaurants and coffee shops. After a strenuous review of the data from this study, the authors concluded “Given that coffee is one of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide, even small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public health consequences.” Most people will want to drink one to two cups of black coffee daily to dramatically lower the risk from a devastating stroke.

Coffee Shown to Lower Diabetes Risk

(Article first published as Coffee Drinking Shown to Naturally Prevent Diabetes on Technorati.)

Compound in Coffee Lowers Diabetes Risk

Millions of people rely on their morning cup of coffee to jump-start each day. That caffeine-packed jolt of java is the right elixir to wake the brain and prepare for the mental and physical demands of your daily routine.

Coffee has been maligned for years due to its high caffeine content and tendency to be used as a delivery method for sugar, artificial flavorings and trans-fat laden dairy products. Researchers from UCLA have found that coffee demonstrates a molecular protective mechanism that can lower the risk of developing diabetes.

Special Compound in Coffee Shown to Lower Diabetes Risk

Coffee Influences Sex Hormones Thought to Contribute to Diabetes

Proper regulation of the sex hormones, testosterone and estrogen has long been known to play a role in the development of diabetes. Details published as a result of this research in the journal Diabetes shows how compounds found in brewed coffee increase the level of a protein known as sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Increased plasma levels of SHBG decrease the risk of developing diabetes.

Researchers from the UCLA School of Public Health have shown that women who drink at least four cups of coffee a day are less than half as likely to develop diabetes as non-coffee drinkers. Studies have consistently shown that there is a correlation between coffee consumption and lower risk of diabetes. This effect was attributed to an improved tolerance to glucose, improved metabolism and lowered insulin resistance.

Sex Hormones May Promote Diabetes Development

Coffee Directly Impacts DNA to Lower Diabetes Risk

Study results published in the New England Journal of Medicine provide the first clue to the relationship between genes that code for SHBG and the initial developmental stage of diabetes. SBGH has been shown to regulate biologically active sex hormones and can actively bind to receptors that influence signaling and the production of the hormones. Increased levels of the free, unbound form of the active sex hormones play an important role in lowering risk for metabolic disease.

The NEJM study established that SHBG levels circulating in the blood have a direct correlation to the genetic susceptibility for diabetes. Lead study author, Dr. Simin Liu established that women drinking four cups of caffeinated coffee each day were at significantly lower risk of developing diabetes due to increased SHBG protein levels.

Study Finds Coffee Consumption Linked to Diabetes Risk

Dr. Liu commented on the results, “we now further show that this protein can be influenced by dietary factors such as coffee intake in affecting diabetes risk – the lower the levels of SHBG, the greater the risk beyond any known diabetes risk factors.” The study examined nearly 40,000 women and found that those with the highest coffee consumption (4 cups per day) were 56% less likely to develop diabetes compared to non-drinkers.

It’s important to note that the research found the protective nature of coffee consumption was only seen when using the caffeinated form of the drink. Although caffeine is not believed to increase SHBG levels independently, the decaffeination process also removes natural compounds found in the coffee bean that are essential to boosting the protein level. Millions of health-minded individuals will find comfort as they lower their risk of developing diabetes by enjoying several cups of Joe every day.