Study: Drinking coffee lowers risk of liver problems

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• A new study suggests that coffee could lower the risk of developing or dying from chronic liver disease.
• Previous studies suggest that coffee also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, melanoma and other skin cancers.
• Participants in most studies drink black coffee, or without additives.

A new study, published Monday in the journal BMC Public Health, found that drinking coffee a day lowers your risk of developing and dying from severe liver diseases.

The study reveals that those who drink up to three or four cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee were 21% less likely to develop chronic liver disease, 20% less likely to develop chronic or fatty liver disease, and 49% less likely to die from a chronic liver disease compared to non-coffee drinkers.

The recent study observed coffee consumption among 494,585 participants of the UK Biobank, a biomedical database and research resource, and then followed them for almost 12 years. All participants were aged 40 to 69 when the research started.

The maximum benefit of drinking coffee was manifested in the group who drank ground caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, but benefits were also seen in instant coffee drinkers.

In a statement, study author Dr. Oliver Kennedy, who is on the medical faculty of the University of Southampton in the UK, said “The benefits we see from our study may mean it could offer a potential preventative treatment for chronic liver disease.”

“This would be especially valuable in countries with lower income and worse access to healthcare and where the burden of chronic liver disease is highest,” Kennedy added.

Risk factors for developing liver disease include excessive alcohol drinking, smoking, obesity, diabetes, hepatitis B and C infections, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

According to the American Liver Foundation, diagnoses of NAFLD have more than doubled since 2000 while the rate of liver cancer has more than tripled over the last four decades.

Liver cancer risks include diabetes, NAFLD, excessive drinking, or hepatitis B and C infections.

The World Cancer Research Fund reveals that liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. It is usually diagnosed in its advanced stage because there are no early symptoms.

Previous studies found coffee to reduce the risk of other diseases such as type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, melanoma, and other skin cancers, and reduce levels of coronary artery calcium.

Most participants drink black coffee. In most studies, a cup of coffee is only 8 ounces.

The American Heart Association warns that adding dairy, sugars, or non-dairy creamers that are high in calories can increase sugar and fat intake, opposing any heart-healthy benefits of coffee.

Previous studies recommended that people with sleep problems or unmanaged diabetes should consult a doctor before adding caffeine to their diets.

The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages children and adolescents not to drink colas, coffees, energy drinks or other beverages with any amount of caffeine.

Source: CNN