Researchers aren't sure why coffee prevents inflammation in the liver, but they have confirmed a clear correlation that suggests that coffee can reduce some of the ill effects of too much alcohol consumption.
Want to dramatically slash your risk of getting liver cancer? Drink plenty of coffee, new research has found.
In fact, the research found that those who heavily drink alcohol, thus increasing their risk of liver cancer, can reverse that damage by drinking coffee regularly, according to a UPI report.
A new survey conducted by researchers associated with the World Cancer Research Fund in London say that drinking three or more alcohol drinks per day significantly raises liver cancer risks, but also found that regular coffee consumption decreased that risk, although it wasn’t clear why.
The findings are included in the Liver Cancer 2015 report, which analyzes 34 scientific studies including data from 8 million people and 24,600 liver cancer cases.
Coffee and coffee extracts have been shown in the past to reduce the expression of genes that cause inflammation, and that appears to be particularly true in the liver, according to the report.
But, it’s still a good idea to avoid the risks of liver cancer altogether by limiting your alcohol intake. And there are other potential risks for liver cancer that the study turned up, including aflatoxins, which are produced by mold. The study found that inadequate storage of food can result in more ingestion of aflatoxins, which is particularly a problem in warmer, developing regions where food spoils quicker and proper storage is more difficult to come by.
Cereals, peanuts, black pepper, dried fruit, and other similar foodstuffs are at a particular risk for this type of toxin.
Liver cancer killed 746,000 people in 2012 worldwide, the second most of any other type of cancer.
