Can Coffee Help Fight Liver Disease? – Our Guide

If you are a lover of coffee and start your day with your caffeine ritual, you might be curious as to if coffee has any negative health effects on the body such as the liver. 

Coffee has actually been proven to keep the liver healthy, it can help slow down the progression of fatty liver disease too when you consume coffee in moderation.

We’ve discussed in more detail below how coffee affects the liver, other effects of coffee intake on the body, how much you should be drinking and some negative effects of excessive coffee.

How Does Coffee Affect The Liver? 

Over the years a lot of research has been conducted about the effects of caffeine on liver health.

Coffee affects the liver since it releases a chemical called paraxanthine when digested, this slows down the growth of a scar tissue called fibrosis.

Thanks to this, liver specialists have shown that coffee can help in the fight against liver disease, which can stop non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis c.

Does Decaf Coffee Have Positive Effects On Liver Cells?

If you’re trying to cut down on caffeinated coffee, you might be curious if decaf coffee can also have positive effects on the liver.

Only chemicals in coffee which have caffeine have a beneficial effect on the liver due to how it is digested, decaf coffee does have anti-oxidants however.

Does Coffee Affect Kidneys? 

Apart from helping fight liver cancer and preventing liver failure, coffee also has positive effects on the kidneys.

Due to the antioxidants in black coffee, having one or two cups of coffee each day can help protect the kidneys and prevent the onset of kidney disease.

Health Benefits Of Drinking Coffee

If you are a big-time coffee lover you might be wondering if there are any other health benefits for coffee drinkers on the body. 

We’ve listed some more health benefits of coffee consumption on the body down below.

• Can help diabetes – There is some proof that drinking coffee could help people with diabetes since the acids in coffee may help people process glucose better. 
• Lower chance of Parkinson’s disease – Caffeine can help lower the chance of getting Parkinson disease and even regain control of your movements.
• Reduces risk of Alzheimer disease – It has been proven in studies that women over the age of 65 have a lower chance of getting Alzheimer’s as long as they have around two cups of coffee per day.
• Less chance of heart disease – Two cups of coffee consumed daily could have positive effects on the heart and help to prevent heart disease.
• You could live longer – The benefits of coffee go far, helping ward off deadly diseases such as kidney disease, stroke, heart disease and more.
• Lower risk of colon cancer – By regularly drinking coffee, people were 26% less likely to develop colon cancer.
• Boosts energy levels – The effects of coffee consumption can be excellent to boost energy levels throughout the day and keep you alert, especially when taken as a pre-workout.

How Much Coffee Should I Be Drinking Each Day? 

Although there is a link between coffee and many health benefits, these healthier livers are only affected positively if coffee is drunk in moderation, excessive caffeine consumption can quickly turn these into negative health side effects. 

On average, it is recommended that someone consumes no more than 400mg of caffeine per day which is around 4 cups of coffee for a happier liver.

If you’re unsure how much coffee intake you need then this article is for you! How Much Caffeine In A Half Caff Coffee?

Negative Health Side Effects Of Coffee

Now we know all the benefits a cup of coffee contains, there are some negative side effects of caffeine to be aware of, especially if you drink too much coffee per day. 

• Headaches – Coffee can dehydrate you quickly and cause headaches, caffeine withdrawal can also cause headaches.
• Anxiety – Caffeine can give you the jitters and make you anxious, consider cutting back on the coffee, especially on days when you feel more nervous.
• Insomnia – Some people are very sensitive to caffeine which can disturb their sleep, try to avoid caffeine after noon in this case.
• Medication interactions – Coffee can interact with many medications such as Ephedrine or Theophylline which tend to be used as a decongestant.

Read our article Why Caffeine Doesn’t Work On Me.

Tips For Keeping A Healthy Liver

If you are worried about developing fatty liver disease or just want to keep your liver in the best shape possible we’ve listed some tips for keeping a healthy liver down below.

• Have alcohol in moderation – Drinking lots of alcohol can kill your liver cells and lead to inflammation and cancer over time.
• Keep a healthy weight – Being overweight increases your chances of developing liver disease, try to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
• Be careful of medications – Pain medications are processed by the liver, meds like acetaminophen can cause liver damage when taken for long periods over time.

Last Words

To conclude, coffee can be very beneficial for the liver due to how the caffeine is digested which stops the growth of scar tissue, helping reduce the chances of liver disease and liver cancer. 

Always consume coffee in moderation, we would suggest a maximum of four cups each day, excess caffeine can have negative health side effects if you’re not careful.

Read Next: How To Get Rid Of Coffee Breath.