Drinking coffee can slash the risk of deadly liver disease: Scientists pinpoint how many daily cups can protect you… and it’s good news for decaf drinkers too
A new study has found that coffee drinkers are significantly less likely to get liver cancer or die from liver disease.
An analysis of the coffee consumption of more than 350,000 adults found that those who drank five or more cups a day were 50 percent less likely to develop liver cancer compared to non-coffee drinkers.
They were also about a third less likely to develop cirrhosis; This causes severe damage to the liver and increases the risk of brittle bones, sepsis and organ failure.
Researchers found that the liver health benefits persisted even in those who preferred decaffeinated coffee and even in those with a sweet tooth.
Transplant hepatologist and lead author of the study, Dr. “Collectively, these findings provide multidimensional evidence that coffee consumption is associated with improved liver health even before clinical disease,” said Hyunseok Kim.
‘Our results show that common preparation habits do not cancel out the beneficial biological effects of coffee, providing the most comprehensive assessment to date of long-term coffee consumption and liver health.’
The study, published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, tracked the coffee consumption of 354,957 adults for approximately 13 years.
Coffee consumption was reported by participants in cups per day at the beginning of the study and later after a liver scan was performed.
Drinking five cups of coffee a day can significantly reduce the risk of liver cancer, research shows
The use of sugar and artificial sweeteners was also reported.
Advanced MRI scans showed that coffee drinkers had less fat in and around their liver (a key indicator of liver disease) and healthier liver protein profiles, as well as biomarkers associated with inflammation and scarring.
Those who drank five or more glasses saw the most protective effects, while even those who drank one to two glasses a day had a significantly lower risk of cirrhosis and liver-related death than nondrinkers.
The researchers concluded: ‘Given the widespread availability, safety and affordability of coffee, encouraging moderate consumption of unsweetened coffee may represent a simple, scalable strategy for the prevention of liver disease.’
But they also acknowledged that because coffee consumption is self-reported, there may be some bias in the way people remember what they drank and the amount.
A 2025 study similarly found that giving 400 mg of caffeine per day (roughly equivalent to four cups of coffee) to patients with cirrhosis improved liver function.
An older review from the British Liver Trust found that drinking moderate amounts of coffee (with or without caffeine) regularly could prevent liver cancer.
Experts aren’t exactly sure why coffee has such a protective effect of reducing and preventing scar tissue, but it’s thought to be due to its powerful combination of bioactive compounds and antioxidants that may exert anti-inflammatory effects.
However, the NHS recommends drinking no more than four cups a day as large amounts can increase blood pressure. To minimize the risk of miscarriage, pregnant women should not consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day.
Artificial sweeteners and sugary drinks have also been linked to disease; Some studies suggest that the risk of some liver cancers increases by 15 percent for every added sugar-sweetened beverage per day.
Liver cancer is the fastest growing cause of cancer-related death in the UK, causing more than 6,400 deaths per year; Heavy drinkers are most at risk.
Nine out of 10 patients with the most common form of liver cancer have cirrhosis.
Symptoms may include jaundice, itchy skin, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and swelling on the right side of the abdomen.
Liver disease, called the ‘silent killer’ because it causes so few symptoms early on, kills more than 12,000 people a year and is the second leading cause of premature death in working-age people.
While it was once thought to be a condition that mainly affected drinkers, cases have increased rapidly in recent years in people who rarely or never drink alcohol.
This form, known as steatotic liver disease associated with metabolic dysfunction, is caused by obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Left unchecked, fat accumulates in the liver, triggering inflammation and scarring. In some cases, this condition can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, and even cancer.
