A recent study suggests that maintaining a regular coffee-drinking habit may be beneficial for liver health.
According to the Daily Mail on July 1 (local time), a research team led by Dr. Hyun-seok Kim at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center published their findings in the latest issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The study tracked 354,957 adults from the UK Biobank over an average of 13 years.
The researchers found that individuals who consumed five or more cups of coffee daily showed a 32% lower risk of cirrhosis, a 47% lower risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), and a 42% lower risk of liver disease-related death compared to non-coffee drinkers. Even moderate consumption of 1–2 cups per day was associated with a 20% reduction in cirrhosis risk and a 31% lower risk of liver-related mortality.
A notable discovery was that the protective effects were observed in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. This suggests that compounds other than caffeine play a role in supporting liver health. While the benefits were also present in coffee with sugar or artificial sweeteners, the effect was found to be slightly less pronounced compared to black coffee.
Dr. Kim emphasized that coffee is an accessible and affordable way to support liver health. However, he cautioned that excessive consumption can lead to side effects such as elevated blood pressure or increased heart rate. Therefore, he recommends a daily intake of about three cups of unsweetened coffee as an optimal balance for both liver and cardiovascular health.
Biological evidence supporting these findings was identified through proteomics analysis, which showed that regular coffee drinkers exhibited increased expression of proteins associated with liver cell function, alongside a decrease in proteins linked to fibrosis and inflammation.
While the researchers noted that the observational nature of the study prevents drawing a definitive cause-and-effect conclusion, they stated that recommending moderate consumption of unsweetened coffee serves as a practical strategy for liver disease prevention.
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