Study reveals that Coffee counteracts Liver Damage due to Alcohol by up to 65%

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The University of Southampton has revealed their findings after a 15 year study of liver cirrhosis in more than 400 000 patients, and coffee has come out as the top antidote to heavy drinking. It took multiple scientists and doctors to come up with their best solution to reduce liver damage, and all were shocked that a few simple cups of coffee had the most significant healing power.

A 2013 report showed that 33274 individuals suffered fatal consequences of alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis, which is consistent with reports of an average of 45% of Americans dying from this disease each year. Just two cups of coffee per day has proven to reduce the damage of liver cirrhosis by up to 44%, helping to undo the scar tissue damage and regenerate the growth of healthy liver cells.

“Cirrhosis is potentially fatal and there is no cure as such. Therefore, it is significant that the risk of developing cirrhosis may be reduced by the consumption of coffee: a cheap, ubiquitous and well-tolerated beverage.” – said Dr Kennedy, a prominent partaker of the study.

There are slightly more fatal cases of liver cirrhosis in males than females, and most prominent in individuals aged between 25-34, according to the National Institute of Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse. In the United States approximately 24% of the population engages in binge drinking, which causes 88000 deaths per year. Of that, almost half are liver-damage related.

Does More Coffee Make Your Liver Merrier?

Dr Kennedy and his associates took on the challenge of finding out exactly how much coffee reduces the risk of liver cirrhosis, and by what percentage. They revealed that one cup of coffee per day reduces the risk by 22%, two cups by 44%, 3 cups by 56% and 4 cups by 65%, showing that the compound effect declines slightly, but that the percentage is still remarkable per extra cup.

It was thereafter suggested that 2-4 cups of pure, filtered coffee per day would produce the maximum results, and that any additional cups would have a negative effect on the rest of the body due to the caffeine and acidity load.

How Do I Know if I am Drinking Too Much?

While there is no global consensus of how much alcohol exceeds the health limit, an average of governmental recommendations show that the benchmark sits at 14 units per week, which equates to about two glasses of wine taken daily or 8-10 grams of pure alcohol. Binge drinking has proven to have detrimental and compound damaging effects on your body, with your liver taking the biggest knock.

The major symptoms of liver cirrhosis include:

  • Fatigue
  • Weight Loss
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Frequent Nose Bleeds
  • Visible Spider-shaped Arteries Under the Skin
  • Swollen legs
  • Severe Itching
  • Abdominal Swelling
  • Jaundice/Yellowing of the Skin

The Good News is that your liver is an organ which regenerates cells annually, and can recover from the effects of heavy drinking, which cause liver cirrhosis.

The scar tissue caused by alcohol damage can be reduced and healed back into health, and coffee is the perfect beverage to support its path to a healthy condition. Up to 69% of Americans are undiagnosed with this condition, and up to one million people die per year from it.

Diagnosis involves observing symptoms, and completing a liver scan at your local medical centre. By cutting down the consumption of alcoholic beverages and adding a few cups of coffee to your day, you reduce the risk of fatality dramatically.

Why Coffee?

Studies are still ongoing, but the previous nine extensive studies have revealed that the powerful antioxidants, the caffeine and the excellent anti-inflammatory properties contained in coffee, such as chlorogenic acid, kahweol and cafestol are the reason behind its remarkable effect on damaged livers. By reducing inflammation, healing oxidative and corrosive stress and giving your body a healthy dose of circulation-inducing caffeine, your liver has the chance to recover from poor lifestyle choices made over a number of years.

Warning: Latte’s, whipped cream cappuccinos and chicory do not have the same effect as unadulterated filter coffee produced from quality beans. It is recommended to drink organic, pure filtered coffee, and not to corrupt it with refined sugar, cream and unhealthy add-ons if you are serious about supporting the health of your liver.

References:

http://healthyhubb.com/10-extraordinary-health-benefits-of-coffee/

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apt.13523/full

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recommended_maximum_intake_of_alcoholic_beverages

http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/cirrhosis/

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

http://livercenter.slu.edu/index.php?page=liver-disease-facts
More Posts By Author Sophie Robinson.

Sophie Robinson
Sophie growing up was told by multiple doctors her chronic sinusitis would never subside. Healthy eating, daily exercise and yoga completely cured her and transformed her life. Sophie is now extremely passionate about all things related to health and fitness. She is a fulltime blogger and content contributor at HealthyHubb.com