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Coffee May Reduce The Damage Alcohol Does To Your Liver


By

Nell Casey

Published Feb 19, 2016

Modified Feb 19, 2016


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Dima Sobko/Shutterstock


By

Nell Casey

Published Feb 19, 2016

Modified Feb 19, 2016


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Unless you're the one wielding the French press, the benefits of coffee are myriad, from lowering cancer risks to decreasing the bodily horrors of working a desk job. The message is clear: drink coffee and live forever—even if you drink like a fish. A new study that'll be enabling drunks everywhere says that the consumption of coffee can lower the risk of cirrhosis, the liver condition that can arise from drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, among other factors. Note: do not Google cirrhosis if you planned on indulging in a few this weekend...

Researchers from Southampton University in the U.K. looked at data from nine other studies and found that in eight of those, "increasing coffee consumption by two cups a day was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of cirrhosis," as reported by Reuters. The numbers suggest that drinking two cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of developing liver cirrhosis by 44%, with the figure rising to 65% with four cups per day.

Looks like we picked the wrong week to quit drinking coffee.

Of course, with all good news comes caveats—researchers caution that you shouldn't begin chugging gin by the handle and compensate with a vat of cold brew. “Unfortunately, although coffee contains compounds that have antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory properties, drinking a few cups of coffee a day cannot undo the systematic damage that is the result of being overweight or obese, sedentary, excessive alcohol consumption or drastically mitigate an unhealthy diet,” said a New York University nutritionist who wasn't part of the study. Raspberry noise.

Tagged

cirrhosis

coffee

good news for drunks

liver

science


Nell Casey

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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