Researchers from the University of Coimbra have found that increased coffee intake can reduce the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in overweight people with type 2 diabetes. Research published in the journal nutrients.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a collective term for liver disease caused by the accumulation of fat in the liver. It can lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and cancer. NAFLD is the result of an unhealthy lifestyle: insufficient exercise and a high-calorie, high-fat diet.
Researchers interviewed 156 people of average weight at the lower limit of obesity, 98 of whom had type 2 diabetes, and gave urine samples collected over 24 hours. Scientists evaluated the content of natural coffee breakdown products in the body in samples.
Caffeine intake has been associated with a reduction in liver fibrosis in NAFLD and other chronic liver diseases. Patients with higher caffeine levels were less likely to develop liver fibrosis. In addition, high urinary levels of other coffee components were significantly associated with a reduction in fatty liver disease.
Scientists suggest that the polyphenols found in coffee reduce oxidative stress in the liver, which in turn improves glucose metabolism in both healthy and overweight people, as well as reducing the risk of fibrosis. These effects are likely to alleviate the severity of type 2 diabetes as well.
Source: Gazeta
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