Can Coffee Save You From Liver Disease?
- Nidhi Shukla
- Jul 20
- 2 min read
The Daily Effects of Coffee
If you’re an avid coffee drinker and are trying to cut back, there might be a few reasons to pursue your love for coffee. Many past studies have found that your favorite morning beverage may help you prevent a wide array of conditions, two of the major ones being Alzheimer's and heart disease, especially in women. While caffeine is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of coffee, it also contains important antioxidants and other active substances that can potentially reduce internal inflammation and protect against diseases such as colon cancer and Parkinson’s disease, according to nutrition experts from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Research Background and Procedure
A new study was conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where the researchers measured liver disease by the number of cases of cirrhosis, permanent liver scarring and damage, that can result from many long-term liver diseases in people who drank varying amounts of coffee daily. They found a positive correlation between drinking coffee and a lower risk of liver disease. Every year, cirrhosis takes the lives of nearly 1.5 million people worldwide while affecting greater than 58 million people. The researchers also measured the occurrence of the most common liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma. Researcher Dr. Hyunseok Kim states, “This is probably the most comprehensive long-term follow-up data of the coffee’s impact.” He went on to say, “We do see that probably, the liver benefits from the coffee is not from the caffeine, because we do see the similar benefit in the decaffeinated drinkers…”
Research Findings
The researchers found that the supposed preventative effects of coffee generally increased the more participants drank. They state that drinking one to two cups daily was associated with a 20% lower risk of cirrhosis and a 24% lower risk of liver cancer. Those who consumed three to four cups of coffee daily were linked to a 35% lower risk of cirrhosis and a 41% lower chance of liver-related deaths. The most extreme intake, five cups or more, was affiliated with a 32% lower risk of cirrhosis and a 42% decrease in liver-related death. A registered dietitian nutritionist who was not involved in the study states, “Those are meaningful numbers for something as ordinary as a daily cup of coffee.”
Safe Consumption of Coffee
While the study shows a strong association between coffee and a decrease in liver-related death, it does not outline a definitive cause. This means that coffee intake should still be carefully monitored. The researchers found that those who sweetened their coffee with sugar or substitute had a slightly lower risk reduction. In fact, participants who used sweeteners had a slightly elevated marker for liver inflammation, which could potentially contribute to fatty liver disease. Further, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar intake to no more than 6% of daily calories. The Food and Drug Administration also says to limit caffeine to a maximum of 400 milligrams per day. It is widely recommended to avoid consuming caffeine after 3 p.m. to stop it from interfering with your sleep.
Sources and Further Reading
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