Tea And Coffee May Protect Liver Health

The World Resources Institute estimates that the average American drinks more than 400 cups of coffee a year (2009). Some people take coffee or tea once a day, usually at breakfast, but many people enjoy taking it up to three or more times a day, too.

More evidence is mounting about the benefits of drinking coffee and/or tea on liver health, as recent studies suggest that these beverages have protective effects against various liver conditions such fatty liver disease, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Health Benefits of Coffee and Tea

Next to water, coffee and tea are the most popular beverages taken by people around the world. They are known for their appealing taste and aroma and their ability to perk you up in the morning, or at any time of the day. These beverages can be taken while socializing, relaxing or even while working. They are easy to prepare and will fit any household budget.

The health benefits of coffee and tea are usually associated with the antioxidants they contain. Antioxidants are chemical substances that help eliminate free radicals from the body. These free radicals are by-products of normal metabolic processes in the body that can lead to premature aging as well as chronic disease. Aside from antioxidants, coffee and tea also contain caffeine, a stimulant that can boost mental and physical function.

Growing Evidence

Similar observations have been made about regular tea drinkers. Although the studies do not show a direct cause-and-effect link between drinking coffee or tea and prevention of these chronic diseases, the possible association of protection from disease with people's coffee drinking habits has been consistently observed from numerous studies.

A recent review of 18 studies, for example, found that among around 500,000 individuals involved in the studies, the risk for developing diabetes dropped by 7% for every cup of coffee taken daily. Another review of 9 studies involving around 200,000 people showed that those who drank more than four cups of coffee daily had a 30% lower chance of developing the disease.

Aside from diabetes, scientists have found that regular coffee drinkers are also at lower risk for suffering from heart disease, stroke, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

On the other hand, drinking tea has also been associated with similar protective effects. Aside from being a relaxing drink, tea can also protect brain health, improve blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as help reduce weight.

Read More: Four Cups of Coffee Daily Beat Depression

The role of coffee and tea in protecting liver health has also been studied more recently.

A study published in the Journal of Hepatology in 2017 investigated the potential protective effects of tea and coffee on liver health. The study, titled "Tea and coffee consumption and risk of liver disease," examined data from nine previously conducted observational studies, involving a total of 430,214 participants.

The findings of this study revealed a significant association between tea and coffee consumption and a reduced risk of liver disease. Here are some key findings:

1. Coffee Consumption: The study found that increased coffee consumption was associated with a decreased risk of liver disease. Participants who consumed more coffee had a lower risk of developing liver disease, including liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (the most common type of liver cancer).

2. Tea Consumption: Similarly, the study found that higher tea consumption was linked to a reduced risk of liver disease. Participants who consumed more tea had a lower risk of developing liver disease, including liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

3. Dose-Response Relationship: The study also identified a dose-response relationship, meaning that as the consumption of tea and coffee increased, the risk of liver disease decreased further. This suggests that there may be a protective effect that is associated with the quantity of tea and coffee consumed.

How Coffee and Tea Help Protect the Liver

The liver is a large organ found in the right upper abdomen, just below the lung. Its main function is to filter blood after it drains from the digestive tract, in the process, detoxifying chemicals and metabolizing drugs. The liver also secretes bile to aid in digestion and makes proteins, which are important for many body functions, including blood clotting. In reality, this is just an oversimplification of what the liver can do. It is a vital organ that is necessary for survival and although it has a great capacity to regenerate, it is usually subjected to many harmful substances that can lead to tissue damage.

It is estimated that in the US, more than 15 million people abuse alcohol, and almost all of them eventually develop fatty liver disease. Other people can also develop a condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is the most common type of chronic liver disease in America. This condition is often associated with obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Effects of Coffee and Tea on the Liver

The authors believe they have found the mechanism of action of caffeine found in tea and coffee on the lipids (fat) in liver. They discovered that caffeine stimulates the breakdown of lipids stored in liver cells, which decreased the fatty liver of experimental mice that were regularly fed a high-fat diet. Their findings suggest that drinking equivalent amounts of caffeine in four cups of coffee or tea daily may help prevent and protect against fatty liver in humans. These results support previous findings from other studies that coffee/tea consumption can help reduce the progression of liver damage associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Earlier studies done by Finnish researchers involving about 19,000 individuals demonstrated that drinking about five cups of coffee per day could reduce liver damage from heavy alcohol consumption. Another study done by Mayo Clinic investigators revealed that coffee drinking can also prevent the development of primary sclerosing cholangitis, an autoimmune liver disease that could lead to liver cirrhosis and liver failure.

Read More: Tea Drinking Improves Cardiovascular Health

How Much Coffee or Tea Should You Drink?

Before we start drinking more coffee and tea to reap these health benefits, let us also consider their possible side effects. After all, there is still no solid evidence for a cause-and-effect relationship between caffeine and its benefits but merely strong associations.

Most research indicates that drinking up to 300 mg of caffeine (equivalent to one to three cups of coffee) a day does not seem to be harmful in most healthy people. We must remember, however, that children, elderly people, pregnant women, and people with peptic ulcers or heart disease are advised to limit their caffeine intake since they are more more susceptible to the negative effects of caffeine. These include sleep disturbances, irritability, increased blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, upset stomach and brittle bones.