How Much Coffee is Healthy? Drinking Coffee Linked to Reduction of Liver Cancer Risk
Researchers from U.K. have shared that consuming two cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of developing liver cancer by about 35 percent. This proves earlier studies that caffeine, if drank in moderation, can be considered as a form of natural medicine.
The latest finding was made by health experts from the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh who culled 26 studies involving more than 2.25 million participants. All the research concluded that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop hepatocellular cancer (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer.
People who drank a cup a day had 20 percent reduced risk compared to non-drinkers. The more coffee consumed regularly, the lesser the likelihood of cancer. Those who drank two cups lowered the risk of the disease by 35 percent. Five cups slashed the chance of HCC by a whopping 50 percent.
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One paper that may have likely been included in the 26 studies reviewed enumerated the therapeutic ingredients found in coffee. "Coffee contains large amounts of compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and polyphenols, as well as diterpenes and other antioxidants were found in that beverage," it noted.
Lead author Dr. Oliver Kennedy of the University of Southampton clarified they do not encourage the public to drink five cups of coffee a day considering the potential harm of high caffeine intake especially among pregnant women, but the evidence cannot also be ignored.
But not everyone is fortunate to experience the benefits of coffee especially those who already have signs and symptoms of liver damage. For Andrew Langford, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, the best prevention from developing liver disease is to reduce the amount of alcohol intake, keeping a healthy weight through exercise and the right diet, and avoiding the hepatitis virus.
