Drinking coffee may be a daily habit for many, but new research suggests it could offer significant health benefits. A recent study found that higher coffee intake is associated with a lower risk of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver-related death.
The study, titled Coffee Consumption and Improved Liver Outcomes: Clinical, Imaging, and Proteomic Evidence from the UK Biobank and published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, tracked 354,957 participants without pre-existing liver conditions over a 13-year period.
‘THE MORE, THE BETTER’
Findings showed that the protective effects of coffee increase with higher consumption, although even moderate intake offers benefits.
According to the study, drinking one to two cups of coffee per day was already linked to a significantly reduced risk of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma—the most common type of liver cancer—and liver-related mortality.
Greater benefits were observed among heavy coffee drinkers. Those who consumed five or more cups daily saw their risk of liver cirrhosis reduced by 32%, liver-related mortality by 42%, and hepatocellular carcinoma by 47%.
To strengthen the findings, researchers analyzed a subcohort of 28,961 participants who underwent MRI scans and additional testing for liver fat and related biomarkers.
In this group, higher coffee intake was directly associated with more favorable liver biomarkers. Individuals who drank five or more cups daily showed lower hepatic fat content, reduced liver iron concentrations, and significantly lower odds of elevated fibro-inflammation.
WHAT ABOUT DECAFFEINATED COFFEE?
The study also found that decaffeinated coffee may offer similar liver benefits.
Lead author Hyunseok Kim said the findings suggest that compounds other than caffeine may play a role.
“Based on this large epidemiologic study, coffee—either caffeinated or decaffeinated—may be an easy dietary component that many people can consider for their daily health,” Kim told MedPage Today.
“We do see that probably, the liver benefit from the coffee is not from the caffeine, because we do see similar benefit in the decaffeinated drinkers. So it seems more related to the anti-oxidative effect of the coffee,” he told CNN Health.
SWEETENERS, SIDE EFFECTS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
Beyond coffee consumption itself, the study examined the impact of additives such as sugar and artificial sweeteners.
MRI data showed that adding sugar or artificial sweeteners was associated with higher odds of elevated liver fibro-inflammation.
“Given coffee’s wide availability, safety, and affordability, promoting moderate unsweetened coffee consumption could represent a simple, scalable strategy for liver disease prevention,” the researchers said. “Future research integrating dietary, genetic, and multi-omics data will be essential to clarify causal mechanisms and identify subgroups most likely to benefit.”
However, the researchers cautioned that excessive coffee intake may affect other aspects of health, including blood pressure and heart rate. They noted that moderate consumption—around three cups per day—may represent the optimal balance, providing “the hepatoprotective effect, and at the same time minimizing any cardiovascular side effects.”
While the findings are compelling, the authors acknowledged limitations, including reliance on self-reported coffee intake, which may be subject to recall bias. They added that future studies will aim to integrate broader dietary, genetic, and multi-omics data to “identify the subgroups that are most likely to benefit from coffee drinking.”
