Regular coffee consumption may do more than provide a morning energy boost. According to Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained at AIIMS, Harvard and Stanford, drinking coffee every day may offer significant benefits for liver health, with research suggesting it can reduce the risk of chronic liver disease and improve liver function.
Coffee linked to lower risk of liver disease
Dr Sethi said coffee is one of the best beverages for supporting liver health. According to studies cited by him, regular coffee drinkers may have up to a 44 per cent lower risk of developing liver cirrhosis.
Liver cirrhosis is an advanced stage of liver disease characterised by permanent scarring of the liver. It is commonly associated with long-term conditions such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease and excessive alcohol consumption.
Researchers believe that compounds present in coffee may help reduce inflammation and protect liver cells from damage over time.
May improve liver enzyme levels
Another benefit highlighted by Dr Sethi is coffee’s potential to improve liver enzyme levels.
He noted that regular coffee intake has been associated with lower levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), two enzymes commonly measured to assess liver health. Elevated levels of these enzymes may indicate liver inflammation or injury.
Lower ALT and AST levels are generally considered a sign of better liver function.
May help reduce fatty liver disease risk
Dr Sethi also pointed to evidence suggesting that coffee may help protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which excess fat accumulates in the liver in people who consume little or no alcohol.
He noted that NAFLD affects nearly one in three adults and said coffee is among the few beverages with strong and consistent clinical evidence supporting its protective role against the condition.
Maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical activity and weight management remain the primary measures for preventing and managing fatty liver disease.
Two to three cups may offer the greatest benefit
According to Dr Sethi, people who enjoy coffee do not necessarily need to restrict themselves to a single cup each day.
He cited a large meta-analysis involving more than 4 lakh participants, which found that consuming two to three cups of coffee daily provided the strongest liver-protective benefits.
However, experts advise moderation, as excessive caffeine intake may cause side effects such as insomnia, anxiety, palpitations and digestive discomfort in some individuals.
Decaf coffee may also be beneficial
Dr Sethi said people who are sensitive to caffeine can still obtain many of coffee’s liver health benefits by choosing decaffeinated coffee.
He explained that the protective effects are believed to come largely from polyphenols and other beneficial plant compounds found in coffee rather than caffeine alone.
Studies have shown that people who consume decaffeinated coffee also experience improvements in liver enzyme levels, suggesting that caffeine is not the sole contributor to coffee’s protective effects.
While coffee may support liver health, medical experts emphasise that it should complement, not replace, healthy lifestyle habits such as maintaining a balanced diet, limiting alcohol intake, exercising regularly and seeking timely medical care for liver-related conditions.