According to a new study by the researchers from University of Southampton, drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day can cut your risk of liver cancer and other alcohol-related liver diseases.
The study conducted by the University was published on the journal BMC Public Health on Monday. It is based on the research done on the data from 494,585 participants aged 40 to 69 in the UK Biobank. 384,818 participants said they were coffee drinkers, on the other hand, the non-consumer of coffee counted to 109,767.
Prof Paul Roderick, a co-author of the study from the University of Southampton stated that the new study “confirms in a large UK cohort that coffee drinking is protective against severe liver disease,”
The research team reportedly looked at the liver health of the participants over a period of almost 11 years. 3,600 cases of chronic liver disease were found, with 301 deaths. The researchers also recorded 1,839 cases of simple fatty liver disease.
As concluded in the research, the participants who drank any amount and any kind of coffee, had a 20% lower risk of developing chronic liver disease or fatty liver disease than those who did not consume the beverage. Moreover, the conclusions have been carried out taking into account factors such as body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking status.
In addition, the coffee drinkers also had a 49% lower risk of dying from chronic liver disease, suggested the research.
Vanessa Hebditch, of the British Liver Trust, backed the study results and stated that it further proves the theory that coffee is good for liver health. Vanessa said, “However, it’s important that people improve their liver health not just by drinking coffee, but by also cutting down on alcohol and keeping to a healthy weight by exercising and eating well.”
However, as stated by The Guardian, there is a loophole in the study as the participants were only asked about their coffee intake at one point in time. Hence, it cannot prove that coffee itself reduces the risk of chronic liver disease.
On the other hand, noting the benefits of the ingredients of coffee for liver, Prof. Roderick said, “It does, however, raise the issue that it might be an effective intervention to prevent severe liver disease, say in those at high risk,”