A recent study has found that drinking two mugs of coffee a day can decrease the risk of liver cancer by nearly half. The study was conducted over a 10-year period and involved more than 1.2 million participants in the United States.

The findings are significant as liver cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the world, with over 700,000 people diagnosed every year.

What is Liver Cancer?

Liver cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells of the liver. The liver is an important organ that performs many functions in the body such as filtering blood, detoxifying harmful substances, and producing bile that helps in digestion.

When the cells in the liver start to grow and divide uncontrollably, it can lead to the development of liver cancer. The most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which accounts for about 75% of all cases.

The Study

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh and was published in the journal BMJ Open.

It involved analyzing data from the UK Biobank, which is a large-scale biomedical database of over 500,000 people in the United Kingdom. The researchers looked at the drinking habits of the participants and analyzed the data to see if there was any correlation between coffee consumption and the risk of liver cancer.

The findings of the study showed that those who drank two mugs of coffee a day had a 44% lower risk of developing liver cancer compared to those who did not drink coffee at all.

Even those who drank just one mug of coffee a day had a 22% lower risk of liver cancer. The researchers also found that the protective effect of coffee was not dependent on the type of coffee consumed, whether it was caffeinated or decaffeinated.

The Mechanism Behind the Protective Effect

While the exact mechanism behind the protective effect of coffee on liver cancer is not yet known, the researchers believe that it may be due to the presence of certain compounds in coffee that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

These compounds may help to reduce the damage to liver cells caused by free radicals and inflammation, which are known to play a role in the development of liver cancer.

Coffee and Other Health Benefits

While the protective effect of coffee on liver cancer is a significant finding, it is not the only health benefit associated with this popular drink. Coffee has been found to have a number of other health benefits, including:.

Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes
Lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke
Improving cognitive function and memory
Boosting the immune system

Conclusion

Drinking two mugs of coffee a day may decrease the risk of liver cancer by nearly half, according to a recent study. The findings are significant as liver cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the world.

The protective effect of coffee on liver cancer may be due to the presence of certain compounds in coffee that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. While the exact mechanism is not yet known, the study adds to the growing body of research that shows the health benefits of coffee.