If you have liver problems, and you’re wondering if there’s a correlation between coffee and liver disease, in this article you will find all the answers. And we will amaze you with the result of an interesting study on the relationship between coffee consumption and fatty liver.
According to a research published in the scientific journal BMC Public Health, there is a strong relationship between coffee and liver diseases, with the decrease in deaths related to chronic liver disease and fatty liver.
In the relationship between coffee vs health, therefore, it would be the drink that prevailed.
This, in fact, was already known in previous studies that had highlighted the relationship between coffee and prostate cancer and benefits of caffeine on the liver, for kidneys and in the prevention of certain types of cancer.
So, what does coffee do to the liver? Can coffee be consumed in case of fatty liver?
The liver is an organ with innumerable functions, underestimated and strained by an improper lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits.
A healthy liver is essential for an optimal quality of life, since it is involved in the synthesis of proteins, regulates metabolic pathways, it has a detoxifying action, works as a store of vitamins and minerals, and helps the body to produce energy. In short, it has multipurpose role and must be taken care of in order not to develop steatohepatitis or fatty liver.
The latter pathology is related to an excess of fat in the liver cells that can lead to serious consequences. Between 70% and 90% of obese people are affected and, among its most serious consequences we have liver cirrhosis and liver failure.
Usually, it hits silently, therefore it is difficult to realize that you have liver disease when you don’t have symptoms as pain, fatigue, or weight loss.
To prevent and treat fatty lever, nutrition plays a decisive role.
So, say yes to the consumption of foods rich in antioxidants (cruciferous, bitter vegetables, garlic, onions, green tea, and fruit) to be taken on a regular basis.
But it’s necessary to pay absolute attention and limit the intake of alcohol, fatty foods and sugar which only burden the liver and complicate its daily activities.
What about coffee, then, what’s up with that?
Until now, coffee was not considered as a healthy drink for the liver, but thanks to the study mentioned before there is much more information about it.
A high-quality coffee helps contrast liver disease by decreasing the risk to developing chronic diseases. But its benefits are linked to a selected and artfully prepared coffee, with an extraction method able to preserve all its organoleptic properties.
What hurts the liver
The liver performs a scavenger function within the body. When there are too many toxins to be eliminated, it struggles to do this job, so the body tends to become intoxicated.
If the liver does not cleanse the body as it should the toxic substances remains in circulation, becoming a threat to the body.
What is bad for the liver? What are the factors that cause fatty liver?
Generally, liver diseases are caused by an incorrect lifestyle and by a diet high in fat and sugar. Sometimes, fatty liver develops alongside conditions such as obesity, diabetes, or hypertriglyceridemia.
Let’s see what the most frequent causes of liver problems are:
- incorrect lifestyle,
- high alcohol consumption,
- a diet high in fat and sugar,
- high-calorie foods,
- overweight and obesity,
- too large meals,
- a too long cooking time,
- overcooked and “toasted” foods,
- type 2 diabetes,
- hypertriglyceridemia,
- weight loss due to fasting or sudden diets,
- malnutrition.
These are the main factors that can develop liver disease.
Unfortunately, there are cases of fatty liver still being analyzed because they don’t have any of these conditions.
Patients who are affected by these diseases are generally middle-aged and overweight.
To prevent liver fatigue, there are not drug-based therapies, but it is necessary to work on nutrition and bad habits.
Here are some small indications to strengthen the liver and stimulate its metabolic action:
- Reduce the assumption of fatty and high-calorie foods (cheese, salami, dairy products).
- Avoid consuming simple sugars and refined foods (sweets, chocolate, rice, and refined flours).
- Do not drink juices, sodas, or drinks rich in sugars.
- Do not abuse with alcohol consumption.
You can help the liver by consuming yogurt and probiotics, as well as vegetables and fresh fruit.
What are the symptoms of fatty liver?
Fatty liver does not manifest itself and does not cause complications. This means that there could be a steatohepatitis without having any symptom. Generally, these diseases are diagnosed with routine blood tests or other kind of tests.
To make sure that you have a fatty liver or a liver disease, specific examinations such as CT scan, ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging can be used.
In some cases when the disease degenerates, the liver can become inflamed, damaging the liver cells, and creating painful scars.
These are the symptoms of fatty lever disease:
- weakness;
- increased transaminase;
- alteration in the consistency and colour of the urine;
- mental confusion;
- abdominal pain in the upper right side;
- flank pain;
- excess of cholesterol in the blood;
- increased triglycerides in the bloodstream;
- weight loss.
Fatty liver can also occur during pregnancy.
Is coffee bad for the liver?
Although until some years ago, coffee consumption has been demonized, nowadays, many scientific studies have shown that there’s no negative correlation between coffee and health.
From 1991 to 2016, caffeine was even among the substances considered carcinogenic for humans by the WHO
It was believed that coffee was responsible for some types of cancer and that there was a close connection between coffee and liver diseases. In particular, coffee was responsible for the onset of the liver cirrhosis, a pathology that is difficult to defeat and that can help the development of liver tumors.
Recently, however, the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) pointed out that there’s no scientific evidence that can confirm the connection between cancer and coffee.
And it seems that the consumption of coffee brings a good number of antioxidants if limited and controlled.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization published an article about the ability of coffee to protect the body from the onset of liver cirrhosis.
It is recommended not to overdo with quantities, consuming not more that 2-3 cups of coffee per day. So, instead of drinking too much coffee, it is better to carefully choose the best moment to have a coffee and limit yourself to that.
Remember that this is valid if there are no other pathologies.
Besides the consumption of coffee, to prevent liver disease you need to take care of your diet, play sports on a regular basis, and have a healthy lifestyle.
It is better not to exceed medicines that must be taken only with the prescription of a doctor.
This is what science says about it
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. But if they tell you that it also has beneficial effects, how would you take it?
From a study on the scientific journal BMC Public Health has emerged that there is an association between the consumption of coffee in small doses and the well-being of the liver.
A massive analysis was made on the data of 494,585 participants at the UK Biobank. The latter is a database used worldwide to evaluate the interactions between genetic or environmental factors with the health conditions of the human beings. The monitoring was carried out by British scientists from the University of Southampton.
Between all those concerned, 384.818 were coffee consumers while the remaining 109.767 were not regular coffee drinkers.
The analyzed subjects were between 40 and 69 years old.
The study lasted around 11 years in which liver health has always been monitored.
During this period, there were 301 deaths, due to chronic liver disease. While fatty liver cases were 1.839.
The scientists who took part in this study, in addition to coffee, considered three other factors:
- smoking,
- alcohol consumption,
- body mass index.
Among these data, there are percentages that particularly surprised us:
- The risk of having chronic liver disease dropped by as much as 20% in those who drank coffee occasionally;
- While the risk of death due to liver pathologies was 49% lower in regular coffee consumers.
The difference is evident up to 3-4 coffees per day. Researchers saw that there was no benefit beyond this limit.
The result of the studies about the connection between coffee and liver diseases
An accurate analysis of the data highlighted that regular coffee drinkers were at less risk of chronic liver disease or fatty liver than those who did not consume it. Regardless of the quality of the coffee.
It is important to point out that, at the moment, these data are only associations. Therefore, it is not possible to state that coffee intake helps the liver.
However, there are other studies that consider coffee a substance that brings many benefits to the body. It seems, actually, that it has a positive effect on the liver, kidneys, and helps to fight the development of cancers.
For now, we can just follow the classic guidelines on nutrition to help the liver perform it functions in the best way.
So: avoid the consumption of alcohol, do not smoke, do sports regularly, and prefer healthy and vitamin-rich foods.
Moreover, although it cannot be said that coffee is therapeutic for the liver, it is not necessary to give it up or get guilty over a cup of coffee.
Make sure you have a high-quality coffee powder and try not to burn it during the extraction process in order to keep its organoleptic features unchanged. In this way, it will bring benefits both to the liver and to the rest of the body.
If you want to help your body stay healthy, choose a Pontevecchio lever coffee machine, able to prepare a healthy, tasty, and unburnt coffee. Our company has always been producing lever coffee machines, and we do everything to ensure that our customers are satisfied and above all, healthy.
