More Good News for Coffee Drinkers

Coffee, Caffeine Consumption Associated With Reduced Liver Disease

Medscape Medical News 2004. © 2004 Medscape - by Karla Harby May 18, 2004 (New Orleans) — A U.S. population study of 5,944 adults conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has found a strong association between coffee drinking and caffeine consumption and a lower risk of liver injury in persons at high risk for liver disease. The researchers defined the high-risk population as those who reported being heavy drinkers of alcohol, or who had hepatitis B or C, iron overload, were obese, or had impaired glucose metabolism. Liver injury was defined as a serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity level in excess of 43 U/L. The researchers reported that overall, the greater the coffee consumption, the greater the association with liver protection (P = .034 for the trend). The highest consumption noted was more than two cups of coffee per day. Consumers of more than two cups of coffee per day had an odds ratio (OR) for elevated ALT of 0.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31 - 1.0); those who drank one to two cups had an OR of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.49 - 1.4). Those who drank less than one cup had an odds ratio of 1.4 (95% CI, 0.84 - 2.4), with zero cups being assigned an OR of 1.0. Because caffeine consumption is so highly associated with coffee drinking in the U.S., it is difficult to untangle the two statistically, explained James E. Everhart, MD, MPH, from the NIDDK, who spoke with reporters here during Digestive Disease Week. Nonetheless, the researchers reviewed consumption of tea and soft drinks containing caffeine, and found a positive association (P < .001 for the trend), with less than 49 mg per day being the lowest threshold. They found an OR of 0.78 (95% CI. 0.49 - 1.3) for caffeine intake of 49 to 142 mg per day; 0.72 (95% CI, 0.41 - 1.2) for 142 to 200 mg per day; and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.35 - 1.1) for 200 to 373 mg per day. For those who consumed more than 373 mg per day of caffeine, the highest subgroup reported, the OR was 0.31 (95% CI, 0.16 - 0.61). The mechanisms of action, if any, for coffee and caffeine are completely unknown, Dr. Everhart said. Although coffee has many known effects on the body and has been studied extensively, its specific effects on the liver have been largely unexplored, he added....

I'll drink and pee to that.