A few cups of coffee a day may help lower the risk of alcohol related liver cirrhosis, according to the results of a study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The New York Times recently reported on the study, which tracked the health and dietary habits of over 125,000 people from 1978 to 2001. "Compared with people who never drank coffee, those who drank one cup a day or less were about 30 percent less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis," the NYT article states. Likelihood of developing alcoholic cirrhosis dropped even more as the number of daily cups of coffee rose. Tea didn't produce the same effects, ruling out the possibility that caffeine is to thank. Researchers are still unsure as to what the preventative ingredient in coffee is.Coffee may curb liver damage
A few cups of coffee a day may help lower the risk of alcohol related liver cirrhosis, according to the results of a study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The New York Times recently reported on the study, which tracked the health and dietary habits of over 125,000 people from 1978 to 2001. "Compared with people who never drank coffee, those who drank one cup a day or less were about 30 percent less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis," the NYT article states. Likelihood of developing alcoholic cirrhosis dropped even more as the number of daily cups of coffee rose. Tea didn't produce the same effects, ruling out the possibility that caffeine is to thank. Researchers are still unsure as to what the preventative ingredient in coffee is.Comments [52]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
36-14-2006 @ 7:54AM
Ed Kitchen said...
It is my understanding that coffee stimulates the alveoli in the lungs to "blossom" allowing improved oxygen transfer. Since drinking reduces blood flow by relaxing the ventrical system, is it possible that by making oxygenation better we burn up more alcohol in the cells reducing the alcohol impact on the liver?
56-14-2006 @ 8:11AM
MIKE McCAMMON said...
THIS RESEARCH SUGGESTS A FEW CUPS OF IRISH COFFEE FOR BREAKFAST. ANYONE CARE TO JOIN?
66-14-2006 @ 8:16AM
rose brandl said...
i only trink coffee. and coffee is healthy for me.i trink coffee 24/7
76-14-2006 @ 8:19AM
Norma Lane said...
Coffee has had a bad rap for many years...caffeine
jitters, "stunt your growth" ect.and with a variety of choices many young people have opted for other
beverages,often colas which are also caffeine laden.
Would be interesting to see an age demographic with
these findings.Older functioning alcoholics drink lots of coffee to revive day-after.Are we going to see more alcohol related liver cancer among the
under 40 crowd?
86-14-2006 @ 8:24AM
Jack B Nimble said...
hmm, did they correct for the fact that large amounts of coffee are requisite at AA meetings? Heavy drinkers who stop drinking have a decreased risk of liver injury also.
116-14-2006 @ 8:54AM
Lynn Blake said...
My father-in-law has cirrhosis and is a coffee drinker. Can't prove your theory by me.
13There is not enough information regarding the study to determine at what level the null hypothesis "drinking coffee does not reduce cirrhois of the liver" could be disproven. Since I do not drink alcohol I will continue to enjoy my morning coffee without considering my liver.
146-14-2006 @ 9:23AM
Johnson, Matthew said...
I drink coffee simply to unfold my morning as I read the paper. Drinking at that time only makes it harder for me to focus on the important stuff.....like 'where the heck is my second cup'?
156-14-2006 @ 9:32AM
BARBARA B FROM LONG ISLAND said...
I ENJOY DRINKING MY COFFEE DAILY I WAKE UP I MUST HAVE IT IT GIVES YOU THAT EXTRA ENERGY YOU NEED TO STAY ON THE GO
ENERGY GOOD THOUGHTS
176-14-2006 @ 9:36AM
tom schmidt said...
HOW CAN YOU DISCOUNT TEA AS A POSITIVE BENEFIT? Tea has much less caffeine and would require comparable amounts of cups of tea caffeine-wise (in the study) in proportion to coffee to evaluate the premise that tea has no benefit!
186-14-2006 @ 9:38AM
Jim Montgomery said...
As I sit here, drinking my fourth cup of de-caf coffee, I wonder; Do we have nothing better to do with our time and/or money than to debate the benefits, or lack thereof, of coffee?
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