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Your morning cup of Jo could be the reason why you don't have multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests.

A new study, presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 67^th Annual Meeting in DC, linked drinking coffee to a having a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

"Caffeine intake has been associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and our study shows that coffee intake may also protect against MS, supporting the idea that the drug may have protective effects for the brain," study author Ellen Mowry, MD, MCR, with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, said in a news release.

The latest study involved 1,629 people with MS and 2,807 healthy people living in Sweden, as well as 1,159 people with MS and 1,172 healthy people living in the United States.

After comparing multiple sclerosis symptoms in MS patients, researchers found that not drinking coffee could actually increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis by 1.5 times. The findings held true even after accounting for confounding factors like age, sex, smoking, body mass index, and sun exposure habits.

"Caffeine should be studied for its impact on relapses and long-term disability in MS as well," concluded Mowry.