Effects of black tea consumption and caffeine intake on depression risk in black tea consumers

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare black tea consumption and caffeine intake with depression status. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 491 adults (M:169, F:322). The average daily caffeine intake of individuals was calculated using the amounts of caffeinated beverages they consumed daily and the caffeine contents of these beverages. The participants' depression status was determined using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). All of the research data were evaluated using STATA. RESULTS: According to BDI scores, 30.1% of participants had depression. Black tea was consumed by all of the participants and also had the highest consumption level of 620.1±90.4mL and the mean caffeine intake of the participants was 629.5±418.8 mg. Multivariate regression analyses showed that consuming more than 1 cup was protective against depression up to 4 cups. Moreover, a 450–600 mg caffeine intake also reduces the risk of depression than lower or higher intake levels. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that black tea consumption up to 4 cups and caffeine intake between 450–600 mg can help protect against depression. Further studies are needed to better understand the protective effects of black tea and caffeine on depression.