A new study by scientists in the UK shows that drinking coffee may help prevent chronic liver disease by up to 49%.
Chronic liver disease is a major health issue worldwide. According to the British Liver Trust, liver disease is the third leading cause of premature death in the UK, with mortality rates increasing fivefold since 1970.
Researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing data from 494,585 participants in the UK Biobank study, a project designed to eliminate genetic and environmental factors related to specific conditions.
Drinking coffee may help prevent chronic liver disease by up to 49%.
All participants were aged between 40 and 69 when they enrolled in the study, with 384,818 reporting that they were coffee drinkers from the outset, compared to 109,767 who did not consume the beverage.
The research team monitored the liver health of participants over an average period of nearly 11 years, identifying 3,600 cases of chronic liver disease, with 301 deaths and 1,839 cases of simple fatty liver disease.
The analysis revealed that after accounting for factors such as body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking status, those who consumed any amount of coffee in any form had a 20% lower risk of developing chronic liver disease or fatty liver disease. Meanwhile, coffee drinkers had a 49% lower risk of dying from chronic liver disease.
The research team noted that the protective effect increased with the amount of coffee consumed, reaching about three to four cups per day. Additionally, further increases in consumption did not provide any additional benefits.
A reduction in risk was also observed when considering instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and ground coffee separately.
“The study confirms that a large cohort in the UK indicates that drinking coffee has a protective effect against severe liver disease. However, it raises the question of whether it could be an effective intervention to prevent severe liver disease in high-risk individuals,” said Professor Paul Roderick from the University of Southampton, a co-author of the new study.
“There are many components that may have beneficial effects on liver disease, and they differ among types of coffee,” he added.
Before drawing definitive conclusions, researcher Vanessa Hebditch from the British Liver Trust emphasized the importance of individuals knowing how to improve their liver health by reducing alcohol intake and maintaining a healthy weight through exercise and proper nutrition.
