Study reveals coffee could help reduce severity of fatty liver disease in diabetics

Delhi : Caffeine, polyphenols, and other natural products found in coffee may help lessen the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in overweight persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a recent study.

NAFLD is an umbrella term encompassing liver illnesses characterized by a buildup of fat in the liver. According to a study from the University of Coimbra in Portugal, they can lead to liver fibrosis, which can advance to cirrhosis (liver scarring) and liver cancer.

The main cause of NAFLD is not excessive alcohol drinking, but rather an unhealthy lifestyle that includes limited physical exercise and a high-calorie diet.

"There is an increase in obesity rates and incidence of both T2D and NAFLD due to changes in modern nutrition and lifestyle," said the study's corresponding author, John Griffith Jones, PhD, Senior Researcher at the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

"Our study is the first to show that larger cumulative quantities of both caffeine and non-caffeine metabolites in urine are related with a lower severity of NAFLD in overweight adults with T2D," he noted.

Participants in the study had healthier livers, however those who used more caffeine were less likely to develop liver fibrosis, but those who ingested more non-caffeine coffee components had a lower fatty liver index score.

According to the study, a larger intake of coffee is associated with less severe NAFLD in overweight type 2 diabetes patients.

Furthermore, the study stated that other coffee components, such as polyphenols, reduce oxidative stress in the liver, lowering the risk of fibrosis and improving glucose homeostasis in both healthy and overweight participants.

The study noted that each of these elements might also lessen the severity of T2D.