Coffe drinking can help cut cirrhosis

In an interesting piece of data mining Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland analysed patient records of more than 125,000 cirrhosis-free patients between 1978 and 1985.
Detailed information about their alcohol, coffee and tea consumption was taken and their health progress monitored. By 2001, 330 had been diagnosed with the liver disease, of which 199 were determined to be caused by excess alcohol consumption..(Pic an unhealthy fatty liver section)

They were able to establish that for every cup of coffee (but not tea) participants drank each day, risk of liver disease dropped by 22 per cent and they were less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis in the long long term.

Liver cirrhosis resulting from alcohol abuse is one of the ten leading causes of death in the United States.

Reporting in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine the authors write: "The data do suggest that coffee intake may partly explain the variability of cirrhosis risk in alcohol consumers." This raw empiricism appears to be backed up by blood analysis, which showed the amount of damage-indicating enzymes released by the liver is less if the patient is a regular coffee drinker.

Dr Arthur L. Klatsky, who led the research sounded a cautionary note : "Even if coffee is protective, the primary approach to reduction of alcoholic cirrhosis is avoidance or cessation of heavy alcohol drinking."

Cut the booze. ... Red Bull sales should soar on the back of this as the slick merketeers get moving.

An Italian study of 115 cases of liver cirrhosis showed an inverse association between coffee consumption and disease risk as well as an inverse association of coffee consumption with alcohol-related cirrhosis risk (1). A larger Italian study of 274 cases and 458 controls reported an 84% lower risk of developing liver cirrhosis in subjects who drank four or more cups of coffee per day (2). Finally, a third Italian study of 101 cases and 1538 controls showed a 71% lower risk of developing liver cirrhosis in subjects drinking three or more cups of coffee (3).

1. Corrao, G. et al. European Journal of Epidemiology, 10, 657-664, 1994.
2. Corrao, G. et al. Annals of Epidemiology, 11, 458-465, 2001.
3. Gallus, S. et al. Annals of Epidemiology, 12, 202-205, 2002.