New Study Finds Drinking Coffee May Lower Liver Disease and Liver Cancer Risk

With around 66% of Americans drinking coffee every day, its consumption has long been the subject of scientific study. Previous research has pointed to coffee for its positive effects on cognition, fat loss, and physical performance, dismissing the idea that moderate consumption causes dehydration. And now, investigators at Cedars-Sinai have linked regular coffee drinking with liver protection. Here’s what you need to know.

In one of the widest raging studies on coffee and liver health ever conducted, scientists attributed coffee consumption with a lower risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer and other liver-related conditions. “Previous studies suggested that coffee might benefit the liver, but most were smaller or looked at only one piece of the puzzle,” said Hyunseok Kim, MD, MPH, PhD, who is an assistant professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, and was a corresponding author of the study. “We followed hundreds of thousands of people for more than a decade and looked at their health outcomes along with liver MRI scans and blood protein analyses. Together, those findings help explain the biological mechanisms behind coffee’s association with better liver health.”

What the New Cedars-Sinai Coffee Study Found

Researchers used sample data from more than 355.000 adults who did not have cirrhosis or liver cancer at the beginning of the study. They followed up 13 years later to track any new cases of these ailments, along with liver-related deaths.

Coffee and Liver Cancer: What the Research Shows

When compared with non-coffee drinkers, those who drank five or more cups of coffee each day had a:

•       32% lower risk of cirrhosis
•       47% lower risk of liver cancer
•       42% lower risk of liver-related death

MRI scans further revealed that those who frequently drank coffee had lower levels of liver fat, liver iron, fibrosis, and liver inflammation. The coffee drinker’s blood also contained higher levels of a protein associated with a well-functioning liver, and a lesser environment for scarring.

How Much Coffee Should You Drink for a Healthy Liver and Other Benefits?

The scientists note that while five or more cups showed significant benefits to the liver, positive results could be seen after just one or two cups. The study also found similar protective benefits from decaffeinated coffee, meaning that other compounds within coffee may be contributing to the results.

While the case for coffee continues to build, it is good to know that a cup of Joe can be enjoyed without the fear of derailing physical performance and could even provide wider health benefits. But the advice remains that we should treat caffeine with some caution. “Our findings support moderate coffee consumption for people who already enjoy and tolerate it well,” said the study’s senior author, Ju Dong Yang, MD. “However, we would not recommend that someone begin drinking coffee solely for liver protection based on this study alone. Prevention should continue to focus on maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, exercising regularly, and managing blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.”

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