All types of coffee (even decaf) may prevent liver disease

That daily cup of Joe isn’t just getting you through your morning meetings — it may also be saving your life.

Three or four cups of coffee a day can significantly reduce your risk of liver disease, according to a new study published in the British journal BMC Public Health.

That turns out to be true no matter what kind of coffee you drink — fresh-ground, instant, caffeinated or decaffeinated. As long as you make room for a little java a day, you’re protected.

It comes as especially good news since chronic liver disease (CLD) has been on the rise in the U.S. for many years, with alcohol-induced cirrhosis being the most common cause.

“Observational and laboratory studies suggest that consumption of coffee confers a protective effect against CLD, including cirrhosis,” the study’s authors wrote.

They tracked 495,585 people for roughly 10 years. Seventy-eight percent of the participants said that they regularly drank either caffeinated ground coffee, instant coffee, or decaffeinated coffee, while 22% didn’t drink coffee at all.

In the end, the regular coffee drinkers had a 21% reduced risk of liver disease, a 20% lower risk of fatty liver disease, and a 49% lower risk of dying from either. Regular coffee drinkers not only reduced their risk for liver disease but also had the lowest rates of cirrhosis, severe liver scarring, and hospitalizations caused by liver conditions.

Although all types of coffee seemed to reduce chronic liver disease for habitual drinkers, caffeinated ground coffee produced the most profound benefits, and instant and decaffeinated coffee were found to be the least beneficial. Still, they all were effective enough for the authors to recommend coffee as a preventative measure against liver disease.

The health benefits appeared to plateau after four daily cups for otherwise healthy adults.

How coffee protects the liver

Two molecules in coffee, kahweol and cafestol, have been linked to improved liver health in studies. Instant and decaffeinated coffee contain fewer levels of kahweol and cafestol than regular ground coffee.

The anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties found in caffeinated coffee may also reverse some liver damage caused by alcoholism and hepatitis.

“Coffee is widely accessible, and the benefits we see from our study may mean it could offer a potential preventative treatment for chronic liver disease,” the authors wrote.