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Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 28 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Drinking coffee linked to lower suicide risk in adults
Drinking coffee is linked to lower suicide rates, suggests a study published in The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry.
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) reviewed data from three large US studies. This consisted of 43,599 men involved in the Health Professionals Follow-up study (HPFS), 73,820 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and 91,005 women in the NHS II.
The researchers analyzed data regarding consumption of caffeine, coffee and decaffeinated coffee every 4 years through food-frequency questionnaires, while the deaths from suicide were analyzed by physician review of death certificates.
The amount of caffeine consumption was assessed from both coffee and non-coffee sources, including chocolate, tea and caffeinated soft drinks. But the researchers add that coffee was the main source, accounting for a minimum of 71% in all three studies.
Over the study period, 277 deaths were a result of suicide.
Results revealed that the risk of suicide for adults who drank between 2-4 cups of coffee each day was 50% lower when compared with adults who drank decaffeinated coffee, very little or no coffee.
The researchers reported that there were no major differences in the risk of suicide between those who consumed 2-3 cups of coffee per day and those who drank 4 or more cups per day, but they note that this may be due to a smaller number of suicides in these categories.
Researchers on this study say that the risk of suicide was 50% lower in adults who drank 2-4 cups of coffee each day. However, a previous study suggested heightened depression in adults who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day.
However, the study notes that a previous study from HSPH analyzing how coffee was related to depression revealed that researchers saw a heightened depression effect in those who drank 4 or more cups per day.
The researchers report that as well as stimulating the central nervous system, caffeine acts as a mild anti-depressant by boosting the production of particular neurotransmitters in the brain. These include noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin. They add that this could explain the results of studies in the past that have linked the consumption of coffee to a lower risk of depression.
Regardless of the study's results, the authors say this does not mean the consumption of coffee should be increased.
The recommended coffee intake for the average healthy adult is around 2-4 cups per day. Experts advise that too much caffeine can have unpleasant side effects, such as insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, muscle tremors and a fast heartbeat.
Written by Honor Whiteman
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posted by Mental Wanderer on 27 Jul 2013 at 9:16 am
This is one of the silliest correlation fallacies I've ever heard about. Yes, it is a very large sample size, but, in fact, its not nearly large enough compared to the global population of coffee drinkers. It reminds me of the famous correlation fallacy about Hormone Replacement Therapy. A huge survey study concluded that women who receive it have a reduced chance of developing heart disease. Then, when clinical trials were done, it became obvious that the therapy actually INCREASED the chances of developing heart disease. I suspect that this "coffee survey" is totally contrived and driven by those who hope to manipulate favorable consumer attitudes. This has been a time-honored marketing tactic used by Big Pharma for many years -- it about time Big Agra got in on the game.
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posted by Marietta Alexander on 27 Jul 2013 at 8:14 am
Wow! I am 65 years old; never starting drinking coffee.
The study is NOT going to make me run to Starbucks! Pray instead!
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posted by Junior A Yigzaw on 27 Jul 2013 at 7:01 am
I drink coffee to much for the last 20 years and right now my blood pressure is going up like a speed of light. Anyhow this article really makes me laugh and it looks like it is TRUE.
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posted by Anthony on 27 Jul 2013 at 6:26 am
It worked for me one time. I was going through a divorce and I was very sad one day so I bought a very strong coffee and took a drive.....it gave me a jolt and it helped.
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posted by andy on 27 Jul 2013 at 5:44 am
Of course this does not at all imply that the consumption of cafeine causes a decrease in the no. of suicides.
It just says there is a link (correlation), not that the one causes the other (causation). Important difference. There might well be a link between the color of the eyes and the no. suicides...
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