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Love drinking coffee? Well, this time decaffeinate your coffee to make it healthier. A study appeared in the journal Hepatology suggests that drinking decaffeinated coffee is actually good for the liver.
For the study, researchers analysed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). that involved 27,793 participants aged 20 years who provided their coffee intake for a 24-hour period. The blood levels of liver function markers, including aminotransferase (ALT), aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transaminase (GGT) were determined.
It was found that participants who reported drinking three or more cups of coffee per day had lower levels of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT compared to those not consuming any coffee. (Read: Drinking coffee reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis). It was also found that participants drinking only decaffeinated coffee had lower levels of these enzymes. 'Our findings link total and decaffeinated coffee intake to lower liver enzyme levels. These data suggest that ingredients in coffee, other than caffeine, may promote liver health. Further studies are needed to identify these components,' concluded Xiao.
Higher coffee consumption, regardless of caffeine content, was linked to lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes. This suggests that chemical compounds in coffee other than caffeine may help protect the liver, showed the study. 'Prior research found that drinking coffee may have a possible protective effect on the liver. However, the evidence is not clear if that benefit may extend to decaffeinated coffee,' said Qian Xiao from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. (Read: Revealed why you need coffee to give you the wake-up jolt)
Previous studies found that coffee consumption may help lower the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
Here are some health benefits of coffee
1. Good for your heart
Scientists say green tea and coffee, if made a regular part of the diet, could benefit the heart, according to research conducted in Japan and published in the US. Green teaand coffee may help lower your risk of having a stroke, especially when both are a regular part of your diet, according to research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. This is the first large-scale study to examine the combined effects of both green tea and coffee on stroke risks, said Yoshihiro Kokubo, lead author of the study at Japan s National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Centre. You may make a small but positive lifestyle change to help lower the risk of stroke by adding daily green tea to your diet. Read more
2. Could prevent autoimmune liver disease!
Research has shown that regular coffee drinkers are at a reduced risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis - an autoimmune liver disease. PSC is an inflammatory disease of the bile ducts that results in inflammation and subsequent fibrosis that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure and biliary cancer. Study author Craig Lammert, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist said, While rare, PSC has extremely detrimental effects. Read more
3. Could reduce risk of suicide!
A study suggested that having two to four cups of coffee every day can reduce the risk of suicide among men and women by 50 per cent. The finding was reached after researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reviewed data from three previous US studies. They found that the risk of suicide amongst adults, drinking several cups of caffeinated coffee on a daily basis, was about half compared to those who drank decaffeinated coffee, very little coffee or no coffee at all. Read more about Health benefits of coffee to help justify your addiction!
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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