For a decade, intake of caffeine has been linked to decreased fibrosis and lower risk of liver disease in patients suffering from chronic liver disease. Now, a new research verifies that if people suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) consume coffee caffeine then their severe fibrosis risk will reduce.

The findings published in Hepatology, reveal that high intake of coffee reduces hepatic fibrosis risk, particularly among those with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

The stable rise in metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes in the last 20 years has raised high prevalence of NAFLD. Actually researchers now believe that NAFLD has surpassed both hepatitis B and C in being a cause of chronic liver disease in United States.

To improve knowledge of the association between coffee intake and the incidence and severity of NAFLD, a research group led by Dr. Stephen Harrison at the Brooke Army Medical Center, surveyed participants of an earlier NAFLD study along with patients with NASH who received treatment at the center’s hepatology clinic.

The 306 participants were assessed for their coffee caffeine intake and grouped into 4 classes: patients with no fibrosis sign on ultrasound (control), NASH stage 0-1, NASH stage 2-4 and steatosis.

It was observed that the average daily intake of caffeine in milligrams was 307 (control), 229 (steatosis), 351 (Nash 0-1), and 252 (Nash 2-4 groups), while average daily intake of coffee in milligrams was 228 (control), 160 (steatosis), 255 (Nash 0-1) and 152 (Nash 2-4). There was a considerable difference in caffeine intake between streatosis group and NASH stage 0-1. Coffee intake was considerably higher for NASH stage 0-1 group, with 58% of caffeine consumption from ordinary coffee, than with NASH stage 2-4 group with just 39% of caffeine intake from ordinary coffee.

A negative associated between coffee intake and hepatic fibrosis risk comes out after multiple analyses.

“This is for the first time that a histopatholgic association between coffee intake and fatty liver disease has been demonstrated,” concludes Dr. Harrison. “Further study is required to find out the beneficial amount of coffee intake on clinical trials.”