Coffee is a major dietary source of antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize harmful free radicals (toxic byproducts of metabolic functions) and protect against inflammation and age-related diseases. Now research reports that drinking coffee may help protect the liver against alcoholic cirrhosis. However, the study didn't indicate what substances in coffee may help protect the liver.
The study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, investigated the association of coffee drinking and the risk of liver cirrhosis. Researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, Oakland, California, analyzed the data of 125,580 participants, who did not have liver disease at the beginning of the study. Surveys obtained from the participants were analyzed for coffee and tea intake, cigarette and alcohol use. Forty two percent of the participants typically consumed one to three cups of coffee daily and 16 percent consumed four or more cups daily. Most participants reported consuming up to two alcoholic drinks daily and 8 percent reported three or more alcoholic drinks daily. In the follow-up from 1978 to 2001, 330 participants were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis, with 199 cases of alcoholic cirrhosis.
The researchers found that participants reduced the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 22 percent for each cup of coffee consumed daily. Furthermore, coffee drinkers had lower levels of liver enzymes. This effect was most significant among those with the highest alcohol consumption. However, findings did not reveal an association between tea intake and risk of cirrhosis.
"These data support the hypothesis that there is an ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis," the study authors conclude.
REFERENCES:
1. Klatsky AL et al. Coffee, cirrhosis, and transaminase enzymes. Arch Intern Med 2006 Jun 12;166(11):1190-5.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on November 14, 2006 03:23 PM
