Coffee has never been more popular. There are coffee shops on every corner, espresso machines on every kitchen counter. We have cold brew, drip, French press, percolated, iced, instant, with milk, without milk, canned, creamed and extra-caffeinated. We drink it to wake up, to unwind, to socialize, and to see our names misspelled on the sides of our macchiatos.
We really don’t need another reason to drink coffee, but the world’s favorite bean-based beverage hasn’t stopped surprising us. It’s won our hearts, and now it’s after our livers.
A group of researchers based out of Southampton University in the U.K., discovered that drinking two more cups of coffee per day, on top of your usual amount, can significantly lower the chances of alcohol-induced liver damage. An analysis involving more than 430,000 people found that those two extra cups can reduce chances of liver cirrhosis up to 44%.
What is Liver Cirrhosis?
Liver cirrhosis is a disease caused by hepatitis, immune disease, obesity, diabetes, and –very commonly – excessive alcohol consumption. Cirrhosis hardens and destroys liver tissue, and it kills more than a million people every year. There’s no cure.
That’s why any opportunity to find liver cirrhosis treatments are important.
“It is significant that the risk of developing cirrhosis may be reduced by consumption of coffee, a cheap, ubiquitous and well-tolerated beverage,” said Dr. Oliver Kennedy, a lead study author in the Southampton research.
The Research
Kennedy and his research team analyzed nine previous studies, which tracked the average coffee consumption across 1,990 patients suffering from cirrhosis. The team decided to see how adding two additional cups of coffee would affect the odds of liver disease.
In eight of the studies, increasing coffee consumption by two cups per day significantly reduced the risk of cirrhosis. The more coffee that was consumed, the lower the risk became.
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One cup of coffee per day was associated with a 22% lower risk of liver cirrhosis. Two cups accounted for a 43% drop in risk. Three cups, 57%; four cups, 65%.
Researchers aren’t totally clear yet on how coffee promotes liver health. They’re not sure if it depends on the type of bean, the brewing method, or some other variable.
“Coffee is a complex mixture containing hundreds of chemical compounds,” Kennedy said, “and it is unknown which of these is responsible for protecting the liver.”
What Does This Mean for You?
The basics are simple – coffee consumption is tied to a reduced risk of cirrhosis. But don’t go out and overload on cappuccinos, lattes, or mochas; researchers still aren’t confident about the overall health benefits of coffee. It’s not a defense against an unhealthy lifestyle either – liver benefits aside, nutritionists are quick to point out that a few extra trips to Starbucks aren’t going to make up for years of alcohol abuse.
“Unfortunately, although coffee contains compounds that have antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory properties,” cautioned Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Langone Medical Center, “drinking a few cups of coffee a day cannot undo the systematic damage that is the result of being overweight or obese, sedentary, excessive alcohol consumption or drastically mitigate an unhealthy diet.”
Everything in moderation.
Coffee may not be a cure for a life of hard drinking, but the next time you overdo it with friends on the town, make your order a venti in the morning. Your liver will thank you.
