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Has a fondness for wine left you worried about your liver? You might want to grab a coffee.
Scientists say drinking coffee may be good for the liver.
A new study has found people who drink three or more cups of coffee a day, regardless of caffeine content, had lower levels of the abnormal liver enzymes that are a sign of damaged liver cells.
But as large amounts of caffeine could damage health, scientists said decaffeinated coffee could be the answer.
They believe coffee may contain a chemical compound other than caffeine that could protect the liver, which is why decaf has protective qualities too.
People who drank three or more cups of coffee a day - whether they contained caffeine or not - had lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes that are a sign of damaged liver cells
The findings back up previous studies which found that coffee consumption may help lower the risk of developing diabetes, stroke, liver disease, and cirrhosis (scarring of the liver due to long-term liver damage).
But research has linked high caffeine consumption to memory loss and increased rates of heart disease and cancer.
The new study included 27,793 participants, aged 20 years or older, who recorded how much coffee they drank in a day.
Researchers used data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The team measured the levels of enzymes in blood to determine each participant's liver function.
The enzymes include aminotransferase (ALT), aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transaminase (GGT).
Lower levels of these enzymes present in blood is a sign of good liver health.
Scientists believe coffee contains a compound - other than caffeine - which protects the liver
They are usually present when liver cells are damaged or destroyed, or if the flow of the bile produced by the liver becomes blocked.
Participants who reported drinking three or more cups of coffee per day had lower levels of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT compared to those not consuming any coffee.
Researchers also found low levels of these liver enzymes in participants drinking only decaffeinated coffee.
Dr Qian Xiao from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland said: 'Prior research found that drinking coffee may have a possible protective effect on the liver.'
It was not clear if that benefit extended to decaffeinated coffee, he added.
He concluded: 'Our findings link total and decaffeinated coffee intake to lower liver enzyme levels.
'These data suggest that ingredients in coffee, other than caffeine, may promote liver health.
'Further studies are needed to identify these components.'
The findings were published in the journal Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
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