Coffee May be Good for Your Liver: Study

For long coffee has been blamed for its caffeine content but recent studies have shown that drinking coffee may help in lowering the risk cardiovascular diseases and also diabetes. Here's more good news. A latest study published in the journal Hepatology states that apart from caffeine, certain chemical compounds in coffee may help protect your liver. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in the United States found that higher consumption of coffee was linked to lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes. "Prior research found that drinking coffee may have a possible protective effect on the liver. However, the evidence was not clear if that benefit may extend to decaffeinated coffee," said lead researcher Dr Qian Xiao from the National Cancer Institute.To prove their point, researchers conducted a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2010). The study included almost 27,793 participants aged 20 years or older. The participants drank coffee over a period of 24-hours after which they were tested for blood levels of different markers that determine the liver functions, including aminotransferase (ALT), aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transaminase (GGT).The research concluded that those who consumed three or more cups of coffee per day had lower levels of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT over those who did not consume coffee at all. The same results were with those who consumed only decaffeinated coffee."Our findings link regular and decaffeinated coffee intake to lower liver enzyme levels. These data suggest that ingredients in coffee, other than caffeine, may promote liver
health," Xiao said. However, Xiao and the team are of the view that more extensive research is needed to be able to identify these components. Inputs from PTI