If you love coffee, you’re in luck. Not only does it keep you awake and energized, but it also has some amazing benefits for your liver. According to several studies, drinking coffee regularly can protect your liver from various diseases and even lower your risk of death from liver problems.
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and it contains several bioactive compounds that may have positive effects on the liver. These include caffeine, paraxanthine, kahweol, and cafestol, which may act as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-fibrotic agents, or anti-cancer agents.
One of the main benefits of coffee is that it improves the levels of liver enzymes, such as GGT, AST, and ALT, which reflect liver function and damage. High levels of these enzymes indicate liver inflammation or injury, which can lead to scarring or cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a serious condition that can cause liver failure or liver cancer.
However, research shows that people who drink a lot of coffee have lower levels of these enzymes and a lower risk of developing cirrhosis. This is especially true for people who have risk factors for liver disease, such as obesity, diabetes, or alcohol consumption.
Another benefit of coffee is that it may prevent or slow down the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects 1 in 4 people in the U.S. NAFLD occurs when extra fat builds up in liver cells, which can cause inflammation and fibrosis. Over time, NAFLD can also lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
But research shows that people who drink a lot of coffee have a lower risk of developing NAFLD and a lower degree of fibrosis. Coffee may reduce fat accumulation and collagen deposition in the liver by enhancing antioxidant capacity and modulating gene and protein expression.
“Coffee is especially helpful when it comes to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,” said Jamile Wakim-Fleming, liver specialist at Cleveland Clinic.
Coffee may also protect the liver from other diseases, such as hepatitis C, a virus that infects the liver and can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. Studies show that coffee drinkers with hepatitis C have a better response to antiviral therapy and a lower risk of developing HCC.
“In chronic liver disease patients who consume coffee, a decreased risk of progression to cirrhosis, a lowered mortality rate in cirrhosis patients, and a lowered rate of HCC development were observed,” said the authors of a systematic review published in Liver International.
So how much coffee should you drink to reap these benefits? Experts suggest at least three cups every day to help prevent liver problems. And if you have hepatitis or fatty liver disease, even more — as many as four, five or even six cups a day — might be helpful.
However, not everyone can handle that much coffee without experiencing side effects such as headaches, insomnia, anxiety or jitters. Dr. Wakim-Fleming advises only going this route if you can tolerate it.
Also, make sure you drink regular coffee — not decaf — as caffeine is one of the key ingredients for liver health. And avoid adding too much cream or sugar to your cup, as they can negate the benefits of coffee.
So next time you brew yourself a cup of joe, remember that you’re not only satisfying your taste buds but also doing your liver a favor. Cheers to that!
Relevant articles:
– Impact of coffee on liver diseases: A systematic review, Liver International, April 2014
– Is Coffee Good for Your Liver?, Cleveland Clinic, May 6, 2021
– Coffee: The magical bean for liver diseases, World Journal of Hepatology, May 28, 2017
– Can Coffee Help Your Liver Fight Disease?, WebMD, June 15, 2021