Drinking coffee "can protect you from multiple sclerosis"

Drinking coffee may protect against multiple sclerosis, a study suggests.

Scientists attribute the effect of caffeine, which has already been linked with reduced risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Researchers analyzed data from two studies conducted by Swedish and American scientists in 2788 comparing people with multiple sclerosis with almost 4,000 healthy people.

Both studies found that participants who did not drink coffee are once more at risk of multiple sclerosis than those who drink several cups a day.

Head of research Dr Ellen Mowry said: "caffeine intake has been linked to reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, transmits Koha.net. But now our new study we found that it helps multiple sclerosis."

The findings were presented at the American Academy of Neurology in Washington DC.