Imbibing four cups of coffee a day can more than halve the risk of gout in women, finds a recent study.

Researchers found those drinking that amount or more were 57 percent less likely to suffer the agony of a gout attack than those who drank none.

Two to four cups lowered the chances of gout by about 22 percent but one a day only by three percent, reports the Daily Mail.

The latest findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, come from a long-term study of almost 90,000 female nurses in the US.

Researchers from the Boston University and the Harvard Medical School tracked the nurses over a 26-year period, monitoring their health and dietary habits.

During that time almost 900 of the nurses developed gout. When researchers analysed their beverage intake they found those consuming-large amounts of coffee over a long period of time were least at risk.

Once dubbed 'the disease of kings', it affects men more than women and has traditionally been associated with over-indulgence in certain foods and drink.

Recent evidence suggests younger adults in the UK are being affected, partly because of the increase in obesity.

Diet and excess alcohol are factors for the condition, though some people have a genetic predisposition to it.

It develops when uric acid, a natural byproduct, is not disposed of properly by the body.

During an attack, the joint of the big toe swells and becomes so sore that even a sheet resting on it can produce unbearable pain. Attacks can last up to a week.