Low dose of caffeine enhances the efficacy of antidepressants in major depressive disorder and the underlying neural substrates.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether low-dose caffeine supplementation enhances the antidepressant effects of standard medications in depressed patients.
Results Summary
Chronic low-dose caffeine (60 mg) produced rapid antidepressant effects, improved cognitive performance, and normalized cortisol levels without affecting sleep. Higher doses (120 mg) were not as effective.
Population
95 male inpatients with major depressive disorder.
Effective Dosage
60 mg or 120 mg daily.
Duration
4 weeks.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
caffeine (60 mg) | decrease | depressive scores | male inpatients with depression | - | produced rapid antidepressant action | #1 |
low dose of caffeine | increase | cognitive performance | depressed patients | - | improved | #2 |
caffeine | no change | sleep | depressed patients | - | did not affect | #3 |
chronic caffeine consumption | decrease | hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation | depressed patients | - | elicited inhibition | #4 |
chronic caffeine consumption | decrease | salivary cortisol | depressed patients | - | normalization | #5 |
SCOPE: Caffeine is one of the most frequently used psychoactive substances ingested mainly via beverage or food products. Major depressive disorder is a serious and devastating psychiatric disorder. Emerging evidence indicates that caffeine enhances the antidepressant-like activity of common antidepressant drugs in rodents. However, whether joint administration of low dose of caffeine enhances the antidepressant actions in depressed patients remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 95 male inpatients were assigned to three groups and were asked to take either caffeine (60, 120 mg) or placebo (soymilk powder) daily for 4 wk on the basis of their current antidepressant medications. Results showed that chronic supplementation with low dose of caffeine (60 mg) produced rapid antidepressant action by reduction of depressive scores. Furthermore, low dose of caffeine improved cognitive performance in depressed patients. However, caffeine did not affect sleep as measured by overnight polysomnography. Moreover, chronic caffeine consumption elicited inhibition of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation by normalization of salivary cortisol induced by Trier social stress test. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated the potential benefits of further implications of supplementary administration of caffeine to reverse the development of depression and enhance the outcome of antidepressants treatment in major depressive disorder.