COFFEE MAY HELP SHIELD THE LIVER FROM FAT, SCARRING, AND CANCER — Study
Researchers also found that coffee drinkers had healthier livers, with less fat, inflammation and scarring, suggesting the popular beverage may help protect against chronic liver disease.
The study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, followed 354,957 adults from the UK Biobank for a median of 13 years. None of the participants had cirrhosis or liver cancer when the study began.
During the follow-up period, coffee drinkers consistently had better liver health than non-coffee drinkers.
People who drank five or more cups a day had a 32% lower risk of developing cirrhosis, a 47% lower risk of liver cancer and a 42% lower risk of dying from liver disease compared with those who did not drink coffee.
However, the benefits were not limited to heavy coffee drinkers. Even one to two cups a day were associated with healthier liver outcomes, while the strongest overall benefits were seen among people who drank three to four cups daily.
To better understand why coffee appeared to protect the liver, researchers also analysed MRI liver scans and blood protein profiles.
They found that people who consumed more coffee had less liver fat, lower levels of inflammation, reduced scarring (fibrosis) and less iron accumulation in the liver. Their blood also contained higher levels of proteins linked to healthy liver function and lower levels of proteins associated with inflammation and tissue damage.
According to the researchers, these biological findings strengthen earlier evidence suggesting that coffee may help slow the progression of liver disease.
The study also found that both regular and decaffeinated coffee were associated with healthier livers, indicating that caffeine alone is unlikely to explain the protective effect. Instead, scientists believe coffee’s many naturally occurring compounds may help reduce inflammation and limit liver scarring.
Despite the encouraging findings, the researchers cautioned that the study was observational and cannot prove that coffee directly prevents liver disease.
They stressed that coffee should complement—not replace—other proven ways of protecting the liver, including maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, exercising regularly, and controlling blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
The researchers also noted that coffee is not suitable for everyone. People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, certain heart rhythm disorders, anxiety or insomnia should seek medical advice before increasing their caffeine intake.
The team said future research will focus on identifying the specific compounds in coffee responsible for its liver-protective effects, to develop new strategies to prevent liver disease.
@ Nigerian Tribune
