There is currently no evidence to support the theory that drinking more coffee could help prevent multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans, according to the MS Society.
Last month the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation reported that research carried out on mice immunised to develop an MS-like condition, indicated that they benefited from consuming the equivalent of six to eight cups of coffee a day.
In response to the findings, Chris Bentley, press officer at the MS Society, said: "We welcome any research that presents positive findings for people with MS but we wouldn’t advise people to change the amount of coffee they drink.
"There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that it works in humans at all, as of yet, so we can’t possibly comment on whether it is beneficial or not to drink more coffee."
Studies have shown that the effects of drinking too much caffeine can be detrimental to health, including risk of addiction and worsening the condition of patients with diabetes.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the disease is thought to affect more than 2.5 million people worldwide.
