Most people across the globe start their day with a cup of morning joe. Coffee, one of the most popular beverages in the world, is often linked to improved mood and focus. No wonder it has become a nonnegotiable morning ritual for millions of people. For some, coffee is also a midafternoon pick-me-up. But it can do more than just wake you up.A major new study published in ScienceDirect found compelling evidence that daily coffee consumption is linked to several mental health benefits. But there’s a catch: how much coffee you consume matters. More is not always better.
Daily consumption of coffee and mental health outcomes
The large study drew data from the UK Biobank. The researchers analyzed data from 461,586 participants, about 46.4% of whom were men. Participants were aged between 49 and 65 years, with an average BMI of 27.3, which falls in the overweight range. They were tracked over a median follow-up of 13.4 years. Participants reported their coffee habits at the beginning of the study and were asked whether they preferred instant, ground, or decaffeinated coffee.During the follow-up, 18,220 participants were diagnosed with mood disorders and 18,547 with stress-related disorders. After adjusting for age, BMI, smoking, physical activity, and diet, the researchers observed a clear pattern.Compared to non–coffee drinkers, participants who consumed two or three cups daily had the lowest risk of both mood and stress disorders. However, among participants who drank more than three cups, the protective benefits diminished. Here’s the surprising part: people who consumed coffee heavily had an elevated risk of these mood and stress disorders. The researchers identified a J-shaped relationship between coffee intake and the risk of mood and stress disorders.
How men and women respond differently
Another striking finding was that coffee consumption affects men and women differently. Yes, you read that right. In men, the association between coffee consumption and mood disorders was stronger than in women. Male drinkers experienced greater mental benefits from moderate consumption compared to their female counterparts. However, the researchers are not clear on why this gap exists. Given that women are diagnosed with depression and anxiety at roughly twice the rate of men, this disparity is crucial.
What does this mean for you?
As this study is observational, it cannot prove causation. However, people who drink moderate amounts of coffee showed positive mental outcomes. So, if you are someone who can’t open your eyes before gulping morning joe or who keeps sipping coffee throughout the day, you may want to consider how much caffeine is too much. According to this study, two to three cups a day appears to be a sweet spot associated with a lower risk of mood and stress disorders. While coffee has several health benefits, reaching for a fourth cup won’t necessarily provide extra benefits. More importantly, high caffeine intake may have negative effects. So, moderation really matters.