Doctors Say This Everyday Drink Could Cut Liver Cancer Risk by Nearly 50%, New Study Finds - AOL.com

What the report says

Women’s Health reports that a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found an association between coffee drinking and lower risk of several serious liver outcomes. The analysis used UK Biobank data from nearly 355,000 adults and followed participants for about 13 years, examining cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver-related deaths.

According to the report, people who drank five or more cups of coffee a day had a 32% lower risk of cirrhosis, a 47% lower risk of liver cancer and a 42% lower risk of dying from liver-related causes compared with non-coffee drinkers. The article said benefits were also seen at lower daily intakes and with both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. Researchers also observed markers suggesting less liver inflammation and healthier liver function among coffee drinkers.

Women’s Health cited lead author Hyunseok Kim of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, along with liver specialists Raffi Karagozian of Tufts Medical Center and Marie L. Borum of George Washington University, to explain possible mechanisms. They pointed to coffee’s many bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and chlorogenic acids, which may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects; the decaf findings suggest caffeine alone is unlikely to explain the pattern.

The findings add to earlier research linking coffee with better liver outcomes, but the article does not establish that coffee directly prevents disease. The researchers framed moderate unsweetened coffee as a potentially simple prevention strategy, while experts cautioned that more study is needed and that effects may vary by preparation, intake level and individual health conditions.