We all know that coffee tastes good. However, coffee is good for your overall well-being, too. Wondering, “Is coffee good for your liver?” Why, yes. This antioxidant-rich cup of brew not only gets us going for the day, but there is a strong coffee liver health correlation. Coffee good for liver health is growing in popularity in wellness circles because it’s an excellent form of preventative care. Subsequently, a coffee liver damage intervention may also be a supplemental form of therapy for people with existing liver conditions. Here is everything you need to know about incorporating a coffee liver health routine to your daily remigen.
Why Liver Health is Important
Liver is more than a side dish that children avoid like the plague. Your liver is an essential organ that serves as your body’s filtration system. From pesticides used to grow inorganic foods to excessive alcohol at parties to clearing out an overabundance of junk food, we depend on our liver for a lot.
Essential functions of the liver include:
- Removes Sugar for Food to Provide Future Energy
- Synthesizes Cholesterol and Modulates Fat Storage
- Creates Bile to Remove Waste from System
- Recycles Blood
- Metabolizes Prescription Drugs
Liver Conditions That Might Be Impacted By a Coffee Liver Health Regimen
Since our liver has such a tall task as our filtration system, we rely on this organ to keep us healthy. When liver health starts to decline, a litany of health disorders may spring up.
Common liver conditions include:
- Hemochromatosis - When iron clogs the liver, sparking infection
- Cirrhosis - Scar tissue buildup on the liver
- Ascites - A fallout of cirrhosis that leads to weight gain and stomach pain
- Fatty Liver Disease (hepatic steatosis) - Too much fat in liver makes it harder to function
- Hepatitis (A, B, C) - Inflammation that may lead to chronic disease
- Gallstones - Crystallized mass buildups that clog the bile duct
- Liver Cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma) - Potentially fatal result of cirrhosis
- Liver Failure - When liver stops functioning properly
There are many reasons to follow a coffee liver damage protection protocol. For those genetically disposed to liver disease, anyone on long-term medications, or excessive alcohol drinkers, you might want to brew a cup of joe. Drink some coffee, and your liver will thank you later. Here’s why.
Why is Coffee Good for the Liver?
The answer to “Is coffee good for your liver?” is a resounding, “Yes!” That’s because coffee is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are immune-boosting powerhouses that also help clear out potential inflammatory biomarkers in the system. In particular, antioxidants help fight off the growth of free radicals.
Free radicals are a primary culprit in the development of long-term illnesses, including liver cancer. With three to five cups of joe giving you 60% of your daily recommended antioxidant intake, this makes coffee good for liver disease patients.
While antioxidants play a significant role in following a coffee liver health protocol, it’s not the only way caffeine and liver protection go hand-in-hand. Let’s take a more in-depth look at how can coffee affect your liver positively.
Beneficial Liver Coffee Effects
Attempting a coffee liver health protocol is an all-natural way to improve the functions of this pivotal organ. Research finds that antioxidant-rich coffee helps lower the levels of four enzymes that act as catalysts for common liver diseases.
The reason drinking coffee good for liver health is because this beverage lowers levels of:
- Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) - Found in Liver and Muscles
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) - Found in Liver and Kidneys
- Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) - Found in Liver, Bile Ducts, Many Organs
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) - Found in Liver and Bones
While many of these enzymes exist in areas outside of the liver, one area they don’t tend to reside in is the blood. That’s why doctors will test the serum levels of these enzymes. If they are elevated in your blood serum, then you are most likely experiencing liver failure or liver disease. Thankfully, a coffee liver health protocol can help keep these levels in check.
One analysis followed 1,353 Japanese men with chronic liver disease. Their levels of GGT were tested at the end of one clinical trial. After, the men were ordered to increase their coffee consumption. After four years of following this coffee liver health protocol, results found that the men had decreased GGT levels.
Another study looked at ALT levels in patients who had Hepatitis-C. Out of the 776 subjects, 53% of those who consumed at least three cups of coffee good for liver health saw a significant drop in these problematic enzymes. In fact, the more cups they consumed, enzyme levels dropped proportionately.
Other Compounds in Coffee Liver Damage Repair
Coffee has thousands of unique molecules that help prop us up for a healthy existence. Two novel compounds that improve coffee effect on liver include kahweol and cafestol. When you stop and smell the coffee, one of the molecules causing that scent is kahweol. Kahweol is a diterpene. Therefore, it has a positive effect on the system that may mirror some essential oils used in aromatherapy.
One study on kahweol found that it accelerated the body’s apoptosis process. Apoptosis is when cells cause death to other cells so that they can regenerate and repopulate stronger. It’s like a snake shedding its skin.This process is essential for keeping cancerous cells from overpowering the system. While this study focused on colorectal cancer, the findings show a lot of promise for those adhering to a coffee liver health protocol.
Cafestol is another class of aromatic molecules known as diterpenoids. They, too, exhibit potent benefits for those following a coffee liver damage repair routine. Research found that this compound works with kahweol to produce an enzyme in the liver known as glutathione (GSH).
GSH plays an essential part in coffee liver damage repair. Studies found that this enzyme helps fix tissue leaks caused by alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. With more GSH in the liver, the other enzymes won’t leave the organ and enter the bloodstream. This realization is a monumental breakthrough in understanding the relationship between coffee and fatty liver disease.
It is common for humans to produce less GSH as we age. That’s why following a coffee liver health protocol is an excellent form of preventative care. Now, let’s examine the most popular molecule in coffee and how it may help with liver diseases.
How Does Caffeine Affect Liver?
We’ve discussed the antioxidant-like benefits of following a coffee liver health protocol. However, these immune-boosting molecules aren’t the only way for how can coffee affect your liver. Caffeine and liver disease have a history as well.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. No matter how good a morning cup of joe tastes, we drink it for the stimulant effects of caffeine. Now, we can drink coffee for even more benefits, thanks to how caffeine and liver disease interact with one another.
Caffeine produces a compound known as paraxanthine. In fact, this molecule accounts for 80% of caffeine metabolism in the liver. That statistic only strengthens beneficial liver coffee effects, because research suggests that paraxanthine slows down scarring on the liver. As a result, liver conditions like cirrhosis and ascites are less likely to develop.
Does Coffee Cause Liver Damage?
Liver disease is the 12th leading cause of death. While that may sound like a low number in a ranking system, you must keep in mind there are 7.5 billion around the world. Therefore, millions will suffer from liver disease.
With that knowledge, you may want to look at some of your daily habits that may lend validation to this statistic. Seeing as a majority of the population drinks coffee, it would be fair to look further into the coffee liver damage connection. After all, coffee can be acidic. So, does coffee hurt the liver?
Currently, no analysis I can Google suggests coffee and liver damage go hand-in-hand. While too much coffee consumption may raise heart rate or cause anxiety, it doesn’t harm the liver. In fact, the British Liver Trust encourages you to drink more caffeine in your quest for coffee liver damage repair. They report that drinking more coffee can decrease the development of liver disease by up to 70%!
Which Brand of Coffee Good for Liver Health Regimen?
While a coffee liver protocol can improve the health of your organ, you don’t want to take any risks that may set your progress back. Sure, coffee is rich in antioxidants and beneficial compounds. However, these positive effects are negated if you’re brewing beans that were harvested with pesticides or drinking grounds crafted with artificial ingredients.
Your liver is still going to have to filter all of these potential toxins out. It’s like taking two steps forward and one step back with each cup. That’s why you need to pick a coffee good for liver health. One of the best options for your coffee liver health lifestyle is to head over to the Caffeine & Kilos shop and taste coffee of the month. Our ever-evolving seasonal supply is the perfect way to change up your coffee liver health regimen.