Drinking coffee ‘linked to lower risk of multiple sclerosis’

People who drink a lot of coffee may be at a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study carried out by researchers in Sweden and the US.

Scientists examined data from a Swedish study of 1,629 people with MS and 2,807 healthy people, as well as a US study of 1,159 MS patients and 1,172 healthy controls, to examine the impact of coffee consumption on the condition.

The Swedish study found that those who did not drink coffee were at around one-and-a-half times greater risk of developing MS than people who drank at least six cups of coffee per day during the year before symptoms appeared.

Meanwhile, findings from the US research indicated that people who did not drink coffee were also about one-and-a-half times more likely to develop the disease than those who drank four or more cups of coffee daily.

Study author Dr Ellen Mowry of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said: "Caffeine intake has been associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and our study shows that coffee intake may also protect against MS, supporting the idea that the drug may have protective effects for the brain."

It is estimated that there are currently around 100,000 people with MS in the UK. The disease affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement, balance and vision.