New Study Shows That Coffee May Lower Risk of Liver Disease

Want to lower your risk of developing liver disease? If so, look no further than adding coffee to your diet. A new study published in the BMC Public Health found that people who regularly drink coffee are less likely to develop chronic liver disease than their counterparts who rarely or never drink coffee.

Overview of Liver Disease

Liver disease is a relatively common condition in the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in 50 Americans have been diagnosed with liver disease. There are different types of liver disease, some of which include nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis and cirrhosis. Regardless, they all involve damage to the liver. This latest study, however, suggests that drinking coffee can lower your risk of developing liver disease.

The Link Between Coffee and Protection From Liver Disease

For the study, researchers analyzed health data involving nearly a half-million adults. Participants of the study ranged in ages from 40 to 69. During the course of the study, researchers paid close attention to how many participants developed liver disease as well as how much coffee they consumed. Researchers determined that 3,600 participants had developed some form of chronic liver disease, resulting in 301 deaths.

The most surprising finding from the study, though, came from coffee consumption. Researchers discovered that participants who drank any amount of coffee were 20% less likely to develop chronic liver disease than participants who didn't drink any coffee. These benefits were amplified for participants who consumed more coffee. Specifically, drinking up to four cups of coffee per day yielded the greatest benefits in terms of liver protection. Participants who consumed four or more cups of coffee per day had the lowest risk of developing liver disease.

"The finding that all types of coffee are protective against CLD is significant given the increasing incidence of CLD worldwide and the potential of coffee as an intervention to prevent CLD onset or progression," wrote the study's authors.

How can coffee lower your risk of developing liver disease exactly? The mechanics of coffee -- in regards to how it affects the liver -- are not fully understood. Some experts theorize that coffee detoxifies the liver. The liver, of course, is responsible for removing toxins from the body. When overloaded with toxins, liver disease may occur. With that said, coffee could potentially detoxify the liver by helping it remove toxins.