DRINKING A pint or two a day could be the secret to avoiding depression.
That’s according to a Swedish study that suggests drinking anywhere between seven and 14 pints a week could help reduced thei risk of feeling the blues by around 5%.
The study found teetotallers were around 70% more likely to suffer with a low mood – but hold fire before you start knocking back the beers.
Heavy drinkers were found to be at an even greater risk – 80% to be precise – which suggests moderation is, as ever, the key.
Speaking to The Sun, Dr Katalin Gemes, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, explained how the experience of going to the pub may play a key role in the findings.
“Taking part in social gatherings may explain why the risk of depression was lowerl” she said.
Pint of beer on a bar in a traditional style pubExperts believe moderate alcohol consumption can have a positive effect in releasing feelgood chemicals like serotonin into the bloodstream.
Alcohol can also help tackle gut bacteria, reducing inflammation and other conditions linked with depression.
The study, published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, followed 5,000 adults and their drinking habits over the course of a decade.
Their drinking history, income and age were all factored in with the findings showing how average drinkers, consuming no more than 14 units a week, tended to enjoy better mental health.
Regardless of the findings, alcohol should always be enjoyed in moderation.
