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Coffee could have a protective effect against multiple sclerosis (MS), new research has found.

People who don't drink the beverage are around one-and-a-half times more likely to develop MS than those who drink several cups a day, the study claims, the Daily Mail reports.

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

Previous research found drinking four cups of coffee a day could also cut the risk of diabetes by 25 per cent.

Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 2.5 million people have MS, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Trust.

MS is a condition of the central nervous system, where the coating around nerve fibres (called myelin) is damaged, causing a range of symptoms.

The specific symptoms that appear depend upon which part of the central nervous system is affected and the job of the damaged nerve.

People with MS might suffer fatigue, vision problems and difficulties with walking, but the condition is different for everyone.

It is usually diagnosed in people aged 20 to 40, and it affects almost three times as many women as men.