Your morning cup of coffee may protect you against getting liver cancer. One study shows caffeine can inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells. Many more studies find coffee helps prevent liver cancer from developing. Seek advice from a physician before attempting to treat or prevent a disease.
Liver Cancer
Liver cancer starts in the cells of your liver, a football-sized organ in the upper right part of your abdomen. Although liver cancer is among the most common forms of cancer worldwide, it is uncommon in the United States, according to Mayo Clinic. If a cancer begins in another part of your body and spreads to the liver, it is not considered liver cancer. Instead, it is called metastatic cancer. Symptoms of liver cancer include weight and appetite loss, nausea and vomiting, weakness and fatigue, pain in the abdomen, an enlarged liver, abdominal swelling, yellow discoloration of your skin and whites of your eyes, and white, chalky stools.
Caffeine
You'll find caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, sodas and supplements. Stimulating the central nervous system, caffeine causes increased alertness, irritability and need to urinate, restlessness and a rise in body temperature. Most people can drink about 200 to 300 mg per day of caffeine without health risks, according to Mayo Clinic.
Studies on Benefit
Studies show your risk of getting liver cancer are reduced with caffeine, and coffee consumption in particular. A study published in "Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology" in 2008 found caffeine inhibited the growth of liver cancer cells in patients. An article in "Gastroenterology" in 2007 analyzed evidence from nine studies on liver cancer and coffee consumption. All of the studies showed coffee decreased the risk of liver cancer. In six of the studies, the results were significant. A study of 90,000 people in Japan in 2005 found those who drank coffee had a 50 percent reduced risk of getting cancer. Previous studies on animals had found an association between coffee consumption and decreased risk of liver cancer.
Study Applications
Drinking 2 cups of coffee daily reduced the overall risk of liver cancer by 43 percent for patients in several studies, according to "Gastroenterology." Your consumption of safe amounts of caffeine in general may reduce your risk of getting liver cancer, but keep in mind the majority of studies focus on coffee. Whether the caffeine or another ingredient in the coffee decreases the cancer risk for participants is unclear.
References
- "Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology"; Caffeine Inhibits the Proliferation of Liver Cancer; Jun-ichi Okano et al; 2007
- Associated Press: Coffee May Help Protect Against Liver Cancer; 2005
- "British Medical Journal"; Liver Cancer Toll High in Japan; Adam Easton; 1999
- Mayo Clinic: Liver Cancer
- "Gastroenterology" Coffee Consumption and Risk of Liver Cancer; S.C. Larsson, A. Wolk; 2007
