You probably don’t need much convincing of the benefits of drinking coffee. Not only is it delicious, it can give you that much-needed energy boost in the morning or during a sleepy afternoon, and has even been known to reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. However, what some people may not realize is that coffee can also improve the health of your liver.
Research has continually shown that coffee can have a hepatoprotective effect, which means it can help protect your liver from damage. This is the opposite of alcohol, for example, which can lead to hepatotoxicity (liver damage) if consumed too often.
While coffee has been found to have powerful liver health benefits, it’s important to note that many of these studies cited in this article focus on coffee consumption alone. This doesn’t mean you have to give up cream and sugar forever, but keep in mind that what you add to your coffee can affect its health benefits.
Read on to learn more about what happens to your liver when you drink coffee, and for more healthy eating tips, check out Foolproof Ways to Protect Your Liver.
Liver fibrosis is a serious problem caused by the buildup of too much scar tissue in the liver. Over time, this can affect the function of your liverbut mild stages of fibrosis can often be reversed through lifestyle changes and medication.
A study of The Journal of Hepatology he discovered that drinking coffee (and tea) on a regular basis could help reduce the risk of liver fibrosis. One of the ways to assess fibrosis is by measuring liver stiffness, and this study showed that coffee consumption was associated with less liver stiffness.
your liver It contains enzymes that speed up certain processes in your body, such as breaking down toxins, producing bile, and helping to fight infections in the body. If your body makes too many of these enzymes, they can leak into your bloodstream, which could be a sign of liver disease or damage.
Research It has been shown that drinking coffee can reduce liver enzyme concentrations, specifically in people who consume large amounts of alcohol. It has also been found to reduce these enzymes in people who are in a increased risk of liver disease.
Liver cirrhosis is the later and more severe stage of liver scarring that was mentioned above. Unfortunately, cirrhosis is usually not reversible like fibrosis and can lead to many serious health complications.
Fortunately, coffee consumption has been linked to helping reduce cirrhosis. More specifically, research has shown that coffee can also help reduce the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis (later stage of alcoholic liver disease), as well as reduce the risk of mortality caused by alcoholic cirrhosis.
As you can see, drinking coffee can do wonders for your liver health. And according to the World Health Organizationdrinking this delicious drink could also reduce the risk of liver cancer.
Other studies have shown that it not only has the potential to reduce your liver cancer risk, but may be able to slow the progression of liver disease for some people too.