Hepatoprotective effects of coffee

[Deleted member 170540]

In coffee, there's a small amount of diterpene compounds kahweol and cafestol, which have been shown to protect against toxic damage to the liver. An example is the following publication dealing with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage:

http://www.medri.uniri.hr/~robertd/...ioksidansi/11 Lee, kava i ostecenje jetre.pdf (full text)

Abstract

The hepatoprotective effects of kahweol and cafestol, coffee-specific diterpenes, on the carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage as well as the possible mechanisms involved in these protections were investigated. Pretreatment with kahweol and cafestol prior to the administration of CCl4 significantly prevented the increase in the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) and reduced oxidative stress, such as reduced glutathione content and lipid peroxidation, in the liver in a dose-dependent manner. The histopathological evaluation of the livers also revealed that kahweol and cafestol reduced the incidence of liver lesions induced by CCl4. Treatment of the mice with kahweol and cafestol also resulted in a significant decrease in the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), the major isozyme involved in CCl4 bioactivation, specific enzyme activities, such as p-nitrophenol and aniline hydroxylation. Kahweol and cafestol exhibited antioxidant effects on FeCl2-ascorbate induced lipid peroxidation in a mouse liver homogenate, and on superoxide radical scavenging activity. These results suggest that the protective effects of kahweol and cafestol against the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity possibly involve mechanisms related to their ability to block the CYP2E1-mediated CCl4 bioactivation and free radical scavenging effects.

There's also evidence that daily consumption of coffee significantly decreases the risk of alcoholic liver disease in alcoholics:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16772246

Coffee, cirrhosis, and transaminase enzymes.

Abstract
BACKGROUND: A minority of persons at risk develop liver cirrhosis, but knowledge of risk modulators is sparse. Several reports suggest that coffee drinking is associated with lower cirrhosis risk.

METHODS: We studied 125,580 multiethnic members of a comprehensive prepaid health care plan without known liver disease who supplied baseline data at voluntary health examinations from 1978 to 1985. Subsequently, through 2001, 330 of them were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Review of medical records confirmed the diagnosis of cirrhosis and ascertained probable etiology. The association of coffee drinking with cirrhosis was estimated by Cox proportional hazards models with 7 covariates. We also did a cross-sectional analysis of baseline aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, studied by logistic regression.

RESULTS: In the cohort study, relative risks of alcoholic cirrhosis (199 subjects) for coffee drinking (vs none) were less than 1 cup per day, 0.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4-1.1); 1 to 3 cups, 0.6 (95% CI, 0.4-0.8; P<.001); and 4 or more cups, 0.2 (95% CI, 0.1-0.4; P<.001). For 131 subjects with nonalcoholic cirrhosis, relative risks were less than 1 cup, 1.2 (95% CI, 0.6-2.2); 1 to 3 cups, 1.3 (95% CI, 0.8-2.1); and 4 or more cups, 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.3). These relative risks for coffee drinking were consistent in subsets. Tea drinking was unrelated to alcoholic or nonalcoholic cirrhosis. In the cross-sectional analyses, coffee drinking was related to lower prevalence of high aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels; for example, the odds ratio of 4 or more cups per day (vs none) for a high aspartate aminotransferase level was 0.5 (95% CI, 0.4-0.6; P<.001) and for a high alanine aminotransferase level, 0.6 (95% CI, 0.6-0.7; P<.001), with stronger inverse relations in those who drink large quantities of alcohol.

CONCLUSION: These data support the hypothesis that there is an ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.

I find this interesting, because I have some kind of an alcohol problem (I consume at least 40 units of alcohol a week) and I also drink a lot of coffee...

Is there any information about the protective effect of coffee diterpenes against other liver toxins, like acetaminophen? A lot of people consume huge amounts of APAP daily because it's a part of some opioid formulations, and it would be useful HR info if you could tell them to at least drink a lot of coffee to protect their liver...

 

[Fresco]

If you're a heavy drinker like me, all you need is:

Kudzu
Liver concentrate
Lecithin
Milk thistle

Google all those, buy them at health food store and your liver will be fine

 

[Deleted member 170540]

Yes, there is some scientific evidence that milk thistle actually protects the liver, but it is not conclusive...