In a major breakthrough for coffee lovers, a comprehensive UK study has found that regular coffee consumption—regardless of type—can significantly reduce the risk of chronic liver disease and related deaths by up to 49%.
Published in BMC Public Health, the study tracked data from 494,585 participants in the UK Biobank over a median follow-up of 10.7 years. The results were striking: coffee drinkers had a notably lower risk of multiple liver-related outcomes, including:
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A 21% reduction in the risk of chronic liver disease (CLD)
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A 20% lower risk of developing fatty liver disease (steatosis)
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A 49% reduction in the risk of dying from CLD
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A 20% lower risk of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), although this figure did not reach statistical significance
All Coffee Types Offer Protection—With Ground Coffee Leading
The study showed that all types of coffee—ground (including espresso), instant, and decaffeinated—were linked to these protective effects. Ground coffee delivered the most powerful benefits, likely due to its higher concentration of kahweol and cafestol, two natural compounds known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties.
Interestingly, decaffeinated coffee was linked to a 63% lower risk of death from liver disease, slightly outperforming caffeinated types in that specific outcome.
This suggests that caffeine alone is not the hero ingredient—rather, it is a combination of antioxidants and bioactive compounds that work together to support liver health.
How Much Coffee Is Optimal?
According to the study, the ideal intake is around 3 to 4 cups per day, where the protective effect reached its peak. Those who drank 5 or more cups still benefited, but the additional advantage plateaued, indicating diminishing returns beyond that point.
A Public Health Opportunity
Chronic liver disease is a growing global health crisis, causing more than 1.3 million deaths annually—mostly in low- and middle-income countries where access to healthcare is limited.
Lead researcher Dr. Oliver Kennedy emphasized the potential impact:
“Given coffee’s wide accessibility, our findings suggest it could offer a simple, low-cost way to reduce the risk of chronic liver disease, especially in regions with limited medical infrastructure.”
While this is an observational study and does not prove causality, the evidence aligns with a growing body of literature suggesting real-world health benefits of coffee beyond its stimulating effect.
What’s Next?
Researchers call for future randomized clinical trials to test coffee as a targeted intervention for people at risk of liver disease. There’s also increasing scientific interest in isolating the exact compounds in coffee responsible for the benefits.
Until then, your morning ritual may be doing more than giving you a boost—it could be helping protect one of your body’s most vital organs: the liver.