Coffee, Caffeine, & Depression

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When I started the research for this article I thought it would be pretty straight-forward. Either a yes or no, we should/should not drink caffeine, there you go. I should have known better. Health is rarely that clear-cut. While this blog aims to give clear, actionable steps to alleviate depression symptoms, this post will be a bit more nuanced. While coffee and tea (our main sources of caffeine) have many potential health benefits, there are a few reasons why we might not want to enjoy them.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a huge fan of both coffee and tea. I love the taste, the ritual, the culture – everything about these beverages. I have cut them out at various times over the years and they always seem to creep back into my daily rituals.

Coffee’s Benefits for Depression

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, with Nordic countries leading the way in consumption. While its ubiquity makes it seem benign, it is considered a drug due the affects it has on our brain function, mood, and behavior.

There are multiple studies that have shown a correlation between coffee consumption and reduced incidence of depression:

There are two ways in which coffee might be helping. The first relates to how coffee serves its initial purpose of keeping us awake and alert. Adenosine is a molecule that accumulates in our brain throughout the day and increased levels of adenosine trigger sleep. Ideally adenosine is cleaned out while we sleep, and then slowly accumulates throughout the day making us drowsy at night. But when we don’t get a full night of sleep, we can start the day with leftover adenosine. Coffee keeps us awake because caffeine binds to adenosine receptors in the brain, which blocks its effects and keeps us awake. This also increases the amount of dopamine that binds to dopamine receptors. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that leaves us feeling happy, motivated, and focused. As a result, caffeine consumption, and the resulting increase in dopamine, can potentially reduce depression symptoms.

Additionally, while there is a lot of discussion about depression being caused by a brain chemistry imbalance (usually meaning low in neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine), another theory gaining greater traction is that there is inflammation in the brain causing depression. Coffee contains many anti-inflammatory compounds that can reduce this inflammation associated with depression.

It is important to note that most of these studies that look at caffeine are looking specifically at coffee. Soda, energy drinks, and coffee with lots of sugar are not going to provide these same benefits.

The final thing caffeine does, and this is no small thing, it provides hope. When I’m struggling through a day, filling my favorite mug with a hot comforting beverage gives me a moment to pause and to feel like I’m doing something to feel better. In the end it often doesn’t help me much but the hope – well, that does.

Additional Health Benefits from Coffee

This is a blog about depression so I won’t dwell for too long on the additional health aspects of coffee, but I do think it is important to note that coffee has also been shown to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cognitive decline, diabetes, and some cancers. It may also help your brain to remember things you have learned and studied.

How Coffee Might Hurt

Sadly, coffee is not all red roses and chocolate – there can be some downsides as well.

No sweeteners

First of all, you don’t want your caffeine coming from sugary coffee drinks. Sugar is not a friend of depression. If you do like a little sweet with your coffee, honey and stevia in small quantities are good options.

Anxiety / Stress

Caffeine can actually exacerbate anxiety; and, since anxiety often occurs alongside depression, this may not be a good combination. Caffeine both increases cortisol, and stress hormones, and decreases the production of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter.

Increase depression

While multiple studies have shown a correlation between coffee consumption and decreased depression, other studies have found just the opposite – that coffee can lead to an increase in depression. There is some evidence that chronic caffeine consumption can increase serotonin receptors by 26-30%, and increase GABA receptors by 65%. Unfortunately, an increase in receptors means that there is a reduction in function and activity of the neurons associated with those receptors.

Impact on Other Nutrients

Coffee can also deplete multiple nutrients – it inhibits the absorption of b-vitamins (like folate) and iron (which is needed for serotonin and dopamine), and it encourages you to pee more frequently causing a loss in water and electrolytes (including magnesium).

Adrenal glands / hormones

Adrenal glands sit above our kidneys and produce a variety of hormones, including sex hormones and cortisol, the stress hormone that puts us in fight or flight mode. When we drink coffee we trigger our adrenal glands and put more stress on them. According to some functional doctors, taxing our adrenals with both chronic stress and coffee can lead to adrenal fatigue, which is when the adrenals can no longer keep up with production of hormones. Adrenal fatigue can lead to (among other things) fatigue, brain fog, and depression.

Adrenal fatigue is not a medical diagnosis (and is different from adrenal insufficiency, a medical diagnosis that is treatable). While a doctor may not diagnose you with adrenal fatigue, it is worth mentioning as a possible repercussion to caffeine consumption as some health practitioners do recognize and treat the condition.

Who should not use caffeine

Generally speaking coffee is safe for most individuals, although there are a few people should stay away from it. It is not meant for kids or adolescents and has been shown to possibly worsen depression symptoms in teens. It should not be mixed with certain antidepressant medications as they slow the breakdown of the caffeine. This slowdown can enhance the caffeine effects, leading to anxiety.

Tips to reduce coffee intake

If you are looking to reduce your coffee intake, here are a few tips:

Slowly cut down on your coffee intake rather than quitting all at once. For instance, eliminate one cup per week.
Replace regular coffee with decaf so you still get to enjoy the taste. If you switch to decaf, choose coffee that uses the swiss water method of decaffeination – it is the cleanest method as it only uses water (some processes use solvents), consistently removes the most caffeine, and does a better job of preserving flavor. Purity coffee is a great option.
Adding a little fat like butter, ghee, or coconut oil can slow down the effects of the caffeine.
Your last cup of coffee should be at least 6 hours before bedtime so as not to interfere with sleep.
When I cut out coffee the only replacement that worked for me was healthy hot chocolate (2 tsp cacao, dash of: cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg, hot water, and either coconut creamer or MCT Oil). The linked cacao has been tested for mycotoxins (mold), which can be an issue in some chocolates. And yes, coconut fat is good for you.
Replace your coffee with tea or matcha, which have less caffeine and their own health and depression benefits.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is you really have to do what works for you. Many people find that when they are feeling a little sluggish/unmotivated/out of sorts, a cup of coffee helps them feel focused and ready for the task at hand. And that cup of coffee comes with additional health benefits. However, for some, caffeine can bring on anxiety and restlessness that can be even worse than the initial depressive symptoms. It is worth experimenting with what works for you. If you are a coffee drinker try eliminating caffeine for a month and see how you feel. And if you are not a coffee drinker, maybe try a small cup on a down day and see if you feel any better. Ultimately, do what is right for you and your body.