14 DAY TRIAL // People who drink 2 to 4 cups of coffee on a daily basis are 50% less likely to commit suicide, a team of Harvard researchers has found.
The scientists explains that, according to evidence at their disposal, coffee influences the chemical balance of the brain, and does so for the better.
Thus, coffee enthusiasts are less likely to get depressed and start thinking about ending their own lives, Business Standard reports.
This is because coffee compels the body to produce more serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, all of which act as mild antidepressants.
There is only one catch: in order for coffee to have this positive impact on the human psyche, it must be caffeinated.
As the researchers explain, decaffeinated coffee does nothing to make people feel better, and therefore cannot lower suicide risk.
“Unlike previous investigations, we were able to assess association of consumption of caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages, and we identify caffeine as the most likely candidate of any putative protective effect of coffee,” argues lead researcher Michel Lucas.