Update marts 2020: Coffee and liver health

Overview:

Research suggests an inverse association between moderate coffee consumption and the risk of developing a range of liver diseases including cancer, fibrosis, cirrhosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)^1-20. Moderate coffee consumption is typically defined as 3-5 cups per day, based on the European Food Safety Authority’s review of caffeine safety²¹.

In 2016, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published an assessment of coffee, maté, and very hot beverages¹. Having reviewed publically available scientific evidence, the IARC Working Group found no clear association between coffee intake and cancer at any body site and suggested that coffee drinking may actually help reduce the risk of certain cancers, including liver cancer¹.

Meta-analyses have suggested that coffee consumption versus no coffee consumption is associated with up to a 40% risk reduction of liver cancer (although this is in a dose-dependent manner)^2-5.

PDF – Leverfunktion, update marts 2020.

Further information on IARC guidance can be found in our factsheet on cancer, available here.