CNN: Even High Amounts of Coffee May Lower Your Risk for Liver Disease
CNN.com and Everyday Health recently interviewed hepatologist Hyunseok Kim, MD, MPH, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, about a large study that found daily coffee consumption could reduce the risk of liver disease and liver cancer—even among people who consume five or more cups each day.
Kim, the study’s corresponding author, told CNN.com the research provides some of the strongest long-term evidence to date linking coffee consumption with better liver health. He also noted that the findings suggest caffeine is not responsible for the protective effect because similar benefits were seen among people who drank decaffeinated coffee.
“So it seems more related to the anti-oxidative effect of the coffee,” he said.
Researchers tracked more than 354,000 participants for more than a decade and found that higher coffee intake was associated with progressively lower risks of serious liver conditions. Compared with people who did not drink coffee, those who consumed five or more cups had a 32% lower risk of cirrhosis, a 47% lower risk of liver cancer, and a 42% lower risk of liver-related death.
Kim told CNN.com that participants who added sweeteners to their coffee continued to have a lower risk of liver disease and liver cancer. However, they had higher levels of a marker associated with liver inflammation, which may contribute to fatty liver disease.
Speaking with Everyday Health, Kim emphasized that coffee should be viewed as one part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
However, he cautioned that people who do not drink coffee should not start solely for potential liver health benefits.
For those who do drink coffee, he said, “Coffee should complement, not replace, the fundamentals—avoiding excessive alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and managing diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure.”
Read the complete article from CNN.com. Read the complete article from Everyday Health.