Regular coffee drinking protects against the common form of liver cancer

Physicians are studying the effects of coffee consumption on HCC
Just a few years ago, there was a widespread belief that coffee is supposedly unhealthy. Over the years, however, there has been growing evidence of the positive properties of coffee consumption. Now researchers have found that coffee can even help protect against the common form of liver cancer.

Researchers at the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh found that coffee consumption can protect against so-called hepatocellular cancer (HCC). The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "BMJ Open".

Researchers found that consuming coffee or other caffeine-containing beverages appears to protect against liver cancer. (Image: dimakp / fotolia.com)

Decaffeinated coffee also has a protective effect
For their work, the experts examined the data of more than 2.25 million participants from 26 different studies. The review revealed that increased coffee consumption protects against the most common form of primary liver cancer. The same effect was also seen with decaffeinated coffee.

Strong coffee drinkers have a 50 percent reduced risk of developing HHC
When people consume a cup of coffee every day, they have a 20 percent lower risk of developing HCC, the researchers say. As soon as the participants drank two cups of coffee a day, the risk was reduced by 35 percent. Consuming five cups a day even halved the risk to HCC compared to non-coffee drinkers. With decaffeinated coffee, the observed effect was lower, the experts add.

Decaffeinated coffee could also protect people with caffeine-related symptoms
This may be important for the development of coffee as a lifestyle intervention in chronic liver disease because decaffeinated coffee can also be consumed by people who normally do not drink coffee or limit their coffee consumption due to caffeine-related symptoms, the medical profession explains.

Coffee has a significant influence on the risk of liver cancer
It is also assumed that the consumption of coffee leads to a number of health benefits, says author Dr. Oliver Kennedy of the University of Southampton. The latest findings indicate that coffee could have a significant impact on the risk of liver cancer.

Further research is needed
Of course, we do not now suggest that each person should drink five cups of coffee a day, explain the scientists. More research should be done on the possible damage from the high intake of caffeine and coffee.

Coffee protects against cirrhosis and liver cancer
However, current evidence is an important development given the growing evidence for HCC worldwide and the poor prognosis for this condition. We have shown that coffee reduces cirrhosis and also liver cancer in a dose-dependent manner, explains author Professor Peter Hayes of the University of Edinburgh.

Coffee protects against many causes of premature death
The results of the research show that moderate coffee consumption can be a wonderful natural medicine, the expert adds. It has been previously stated that coffee also seems to reduce the risk of death due to many other causes. So, what are you waiting for? Do something good for your health and have a coffee first. The protective effect of coffee is particularly interesting as figures from the National Statistics Office show that 4,673 new cases of liver cancer were diagnosed in England in 2015 alone. (As)