Study Links Tea and Coffee Consumption to Healthier Liver

Americans are caffeine addicts and coffee is something they can't live without.  If you do not fall in the category of Americans who crave for coffee then you might consider joining the populace for a reason that goes beyond the aroma and taste.

A new major study conducted by a team of international researchers suggests that increasing the intake of caffeine protects the liver from certain diseases.

The study, led by Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS) and the Duke University School of Medicine, suggests that increasing the intake of caffeine helps in reducing fatty liver in those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

 Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is caused due to the deposition of fat in the liver and not due to excessive intake of alcohol. People with NAFLD show   symptoms of fatigue, abdominal discomfort and malaise. Although rarely, victims may even suffer from mild jaundice.

Nearly 70 percent of people worldwide, who suffer from obesity and diabetes, have NAFLD and nearly 30 percent of U.S. adults suffer from this condition. Except for diet and exercise, there is no effective treatment for NAFLD.

The study researchers found that a morning cup of coffee or tea not only perks up a person for work but helps in reducing fatty liver in NAFLD people.

There is a growing pile of evidence on the health benefits offered by coffee and tea consumption. At the same time there are studies that highlight the downside of coffee and tea consumption. But this is the first study that links coffee to a healthy liver.

To prove the hypothesis, the researchers used cell culture and mouse models. During the study, researchers noticed that increased intake of caffeine stimulated the metabolization of lipids that are stored in the liver cells and also lowered the fatty liver of mice that were kept on a high fat diet.

Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that consuming four cups of coffee or tea everyday may be helpful in preventing and protecting the risk of NAFLD progress in humans.

"This is the first detailed study of the mechanism for caffeine action on lipids in liver and the results are very interesting," Paul Yen, M.D., associate professor and the study lead, said in a news release. "Coffee and tea are so commonly consumed and the notion that they may be therapeutic, especially since they have a reputation for being "bad" for health, is especially enlightening."

According to the researchers, this study could lead to the development of new drugs that could replicate the benefits of caffeine without any side-effects. The study was published in the journal Hepatology.