Many of us depend on a mug of freshly brewed coffee to perk us up in the mornings.
　
我们中间的很多人早上都要靠一杯新鲜的现煮咖啡提神。

　 But its mood-boosting effect could well be lasting far longer than we realise, claim scientists.

　 但是据科学家称，提神的效果将会比我们想象的还要长。

　 They have discovered that women who drink four or more cups a day are a fifth less likely to become depressed.

　 他们研究发现每天喝四杯咖啡的女士的抑郁症的几率将会大大降低。

　 And those who drink between two or three reduce their risk by 15 per cent.

　 而那些喝两到三杯的，得抑郁症的概率则会降低15%。

　 Researchers at Harvard University compared the coffee intake and risk of depression amongst nearly 51,000 women over ten years.

　 在哈佛大学的研究者对比了在10年间大约5万一千名女士们喝咖啡的量和患抑郁症的概率。

　 They did not look at men—but other studies have found it has a similar effect.

　 他们并没有做关于男士的研究，但是其他的一些研究发现结果是相似的。

　 The scientists, whose findings are published in the Journal of American Medicine Association, think that caffeine works like antidepressant pills by stopping the production of certain hormones such as serotonin.

　 那些将研究结果发表在美国医学协会杂志上的科学家认为在停止分泌雌激素上面，咖啡因和某些抗抑郁的药物例如血清素的功能是一样的。

　 Dr Michel Lucas, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said: 'Our results support a possible protective effect of caffeine, mainly from coffee consumption, on risk of depression.

　 来自波士顿哈佛大学公共卫生学方面米歇尔·卢卡斯博士说，“我们的结果支持咖啡因的积极作用，主要是从能抵制抑郁方面说的。”

　 The scientists pointed out that caffeine had 'well-known psychostimulant effects' including 'increased sensations of well-being and energy'.

　 科学家们说咖啡因有显而易见的刺激精神的作用，这其中还包括增加快感和能量感。

　 They think that in future coffee could be used as an antidepressant or as a means of preventing depression.

　 他们认为在未来咖啡也许能用作防止抑郁的药物。

　 Only last year a study in Finland discovered that men who drank more than four cups a day were also far less likely to become depressed.

　 去年在芬兰的一项研究表明一天喝超过四杯咖啡的男士同样会远离抑郁。

　 And last month German researchers claimed that women are now twice as likely to suffer from depression compared with 40 years ago because they are trying to juggle families and careers.

　 上个月，德国的研究宣称现在的女士们和四十年之前相比更容易得抑郁，因为他们现在需要操心家庭和工作。

　 It is already known that coffee can help stave off a range of illnesses including prostate cancer, gout and Alzheimer's and may even boost brain power.

　 现在已经知道咖啡能延缓前列腺癌，痛风和老年痴呆症，甚至还能健脑。

　 But it isn't entirely beneficial—and you can have too much.

　 但是这并不是全部的，有的可能比这个还多。

　 Scientists have also shown that can raise the blood pressure and increase the heart rate.

　 科学家们同样发现了咖啡有可能会增加高血压和心脏病的概率。

　 And pregnant women are advised to drink no more than two cups a day to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage or their babies being underweight.

　 若是孕妇每天喝超过两倍的咖啡，则将会大大增加流产的概率。