Can Coffee Help You with the Winter Blues?

"Coffee has been cited as one means of remedying the winter blues or variations of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In one European-based survey, commissioned by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), 20% of respondents reported that a few cups of coffee a day improved their mood during the winter. The same report cites another study showing that 75mg of caffeine every four hours led to sustained improved mood."

"It's important to point out that the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee comprises five major European coffee companies (illycaffè, JDE Peet's, Lavazza, Paulig, and Tchibo). It's website claims scientific independence and commitment to publishing all results regardless of outcomes. More scientific rigor comes from a 2015 meta-analysis that found that caffeinated coffee consumption reduces the risk of depression. The meta-analysis covered 11 studies and 330,677 participants; it reported that with every cup of coffee consumed, the risk of depression decreased by 8%."

"Some well-publicized studies have been funded by non-neutral parties to the discussion. It is important to note that the meta-analysis focused on observational studies, rather than direct experimentation, limiting evidence of causation. Nevertheless, the evidence suggests that coffee and caffeine- especially in the range of 68mg/day to 509mg/day, roughly one to five cups of coffee per day-can help lift mood."

Moderate coffee consumption appears linked to lower risk of depression and improved winter mood. A European survey reported 20% of respondents saying a few cups improved mood, and a study cited 75 mg of caffeine every four hours produced sustained mood improvement. The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee is funded by five major European coffee companies. A 2015 meta-analysis of 11 observational studies with 330,677 participants found an 8% lower depression risk per cup of coffee. Observational designs limit causal conclusions, but evidence indicates benefits in the range of 68–509 mg caffeine daily (roughly one to five cups).

Read at Psychology Today