A new study on coffee by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) discusses the positive impact coffee consumption may have on the liver. A roundtable of European experts, including academics, representatives and media medics, discussed the known associations between coffee consumption and a reduced risk of liver disease, and the meaning behind these associations. The study suggests that a moderate intake of coffee is associated with reduced risk of liver diseases. It defines "moderate coffee consumption" as 3 to 5 cups per day, based on the European Food Safety Authority's review of caffeine safety.
There is a growing body of research on coffee consumption and liver diseases. Dr. La Vecchia concluded that regular moderate coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of liver disease. Liver cancer has been found to be the fifth most common cancer globally. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggested that coffee may help reduce the risk of some cancers including liver cancer. The study discusses the research that's been done to suggest that coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of liver cirrhosis. Research in the study point out a reduced risk of chronic liver disease amongst coffee drinkers.
Although the precise "mechanisms" that could explain why drinking coffee reduces the risk of liver disease are unclear, there are a number of ingredients in coffee that could be the cause of the effect, explains Dr. La Vecchia. Although firm conclusions cannot be drawn, data suggests that coffee is indeed associated with a reduced risk of a variety of liver conditions.
The experts in the study include Professor Graeme Alexander and Dr. Carlo La Vecchia. The delegates are as follows: Hilje Logtenberg-van der Grient; Dr. Ellie Cannon; Andreas Röhrenbacher; Dr. JW Langer; Raquel Peck; Dr. Luca Miele Md, PhD; Dr. David Semela; Dr. Beatrice Anfuso, PhD; Dr. Trisha Macnair; and Gerardo Reyna.
For more information, read the full report here.
