Drinking Coffee Reduces the Risk of Liver Cancer

A new study that has been published in the Hepatology Journal reveales results of different studies that suggests that drinking one cup of coffee daily has been associated with a reduction of liver cancer by about 20 per cent. Moreover, according to Hepatology drinking even more coffee regularly has shown to reduce the risk of liver cancer by more than 50%.

The protective effect of coffee in conjunction to liver cancer has been found in studies from southern Europe, where coffee is consumed commonly and Japan, where coffee drinking is a less frequent habit. Liver cancer and chronic liver diseases have been found more frequently in China and southeast Asia, where drinking of coffee is not very common.

The study covered more than 2,200 cases of liver cancer, also called hepatocellular crcinoma or short HCC. The research revealed that frequent coffee drinkers had only about half the risk of being exposed to liver cancer than non-coffee drinkers.

Based on the figures of the studies the scientists calculated that drinking coffee frequently reduced the risk of liver cancer by 50 per cent, whilst moderate coffee drinkers had a 30 per cent chance to avoid the HCC disease.

As coffee is not very favourable to the stomach and digesting system however, it is warned to drink too high amounts of coffee daily as well.

The cause of the reduction of liver cancer or HCC cases amongst intense coffee drinkers could not be proven till date. It is assumed that caffeine as well as other coffee substances have some detoxifying effect involving carcinogenic detoxification. The scientists also asume tha there are favorable effects on liver enzymes.

Therefore drinking coffee may not only be able to reduce the risk of liver cancer but also to reduce the risk of other liver diseases like liver diabetes and other.

Source: Hepatology Journal, August 2007