Chronic liver disease is also known as the progressive reduction of liver function over a period of months. If untreated, the condition progresses to cirrhosis, which is associated with severe scarring of the tissue.

One drink may offer disease-fighting properties, lowering the risk of mortality by 49%.

Cirrhosis is commonly referred to as an end-stage liver illness since it occurs after various phases of damage from a liver-related ailment, such as hepatitis.

As the liver’s function deteriorates, so does one’s life expectancy.

Coffee, on the other hand, may cut the chance of mortality from chronic liver disease by 49 percent, according to researchers.

To establish this link, researchers at the University of Southampton analyzed data from 384,818 coffee drinkers to data from 109,767 non-coffee drinkers.

During a 10.7-year follow-up period, all subjects were assessed for chronic liver disease.

Oliver Kennedy, lead author on the research, highlighted: “Overall, coffee seems to be beneficial for many health outcomes.

“This is not just for chronic liver disease but also for other diseases, such as chronic kidney disease and some cancers.

“Nobody knows exactly which compounds are responsible for the potential protective effect against chronic liver disease.

“However, our finding that all types of coffee are protective indicated that a combination of compounds may be at work.”

During their investigation, the team discovered that people who drank three to four cups of decaffeinated, instant, or ground coffee per day had a 21% lower risk of developing chronic liver disease than controls.

Coffee drinkers were also 49 percent less likely to die from chronic liver disease.

When researchers looked at the risk of various liver disorders, they discovered that coffee drinking was related with a 35% decreased chance of developing fatty liver disease.

It is estimated that liver disease kills two million individuals each year, one million of whom die as a result of cirrhosis complications.

Being overweight, smoking, and having diabetes are all major risk factors for the illness.

While the findings were promising, University College London biochemist Professor Nathan Davies emphasized that the study did not provide evidence that coffee is an anti-liver disease “superfood.”

He went on to say that other factors are likely to have a more dramatic influence on the liver than coffee.

Kennedy added: “Coffee is widely accessible, and the benefits we see from our study may mean it could offer a potential preventative treatment for chronic liver disease.

“This would be especially valuable in countries with lower income and worse access to healthcare and where the burden of chronic liver disease is highest.”

Maintaining a healthy body mass index is one of many lifestyle variables that can protect the liver from illness.

A Mediterranean diet rich in nuts, legumes, seeds, and olive oil may also help to protect the liver.

Image Credit: Getty

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