News

Drinking Coffee May Help Protect Your Liver From Alcohol's Effects

by Emily Arata

Your liver works endlessly to filter out toxins, but you thank it by pounding tequila shots.

When you stumble to the kitchen for a hungover cup of coffee the next morning, however, you might be doing a favor for more than just your pounding head.

This year's edition of World Cancer Research Fund International's report on liver cancer indicates a regular cup of joe helps guard your liver against the toxins of alcohol consumption and bodily stress caused by obesity.

The findings, which analyze research from 34 studies published across the globe, indicate previously noted positive connections between coffee and cancer stand true.

According to the data, there is "probable" evidence "higher consumption" of coffee reduces the risk of liver cancer.

Because people consume coffee in a variety of ways, however, more research is needed to help scientists understand exactly why it works.

And that's crucial because according to a WCRF press release, nearly a third of liver cancer is preventable.

The report points fingers at obesity and alcohol as the top causes of liver cancer.

Having three drinks per day (45 grams of alcohol) strongly increases a patient's risk for tumor development, according to over 24,500 cases examined.

Amanda Mclean, who heads WCRF, told The Guardian,

Until now we were uncertain about the amount of alcohol likely to lead to liver cancer. But the research reviewed in this report is strong enough, for the first time, to be more specific about this.

The report, which is continuously updated, recommends men stick to two drinks per day while women consume one.

And while it doesn't go so far as to advise a healthy dosage of coffee, know your daily Starbucks habit is backed by science.

Citations: Can coffee help undo the damage of alcohol? Each cup may reduce the risk of liver cancer by 14 percent, study finds (Daily Mail)