Good news for coffee lovers with type 2 diabetes: Enjoying your favorite beverage may help reduce the risk of liver disease!
People with Type 2 Diabetes often have health problems like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD). This condition, also called steatosis, happens when too much fat builds up in the liver cells. It can be mild or severe, and most people don’t feel sick at first. But if it gets worse, it could cause pain in the upper abdomen or make you tired.
People with diabetes are more likely to get non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) because their blood sugar levels are too high. As a result, it can slowly hurt the liver’s ability to work well.
In some very exciting news, recent research has shown that drinking coffee may help people with type 2 diabetes deal with some of the symptoms of NAFLD.
A Study about Coffee and NAFLD
In this research, scientists surveyed 156 middle-aged individuals who were overweight to inquire about their coffee consumption habits. 1https://www.healthline.com/health-news/coffee-may-reduce-liver-disease-severity-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes Interestingly, out of these participants, an astonishing 98 of them were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers took urine samples from everyone who participated in the study and examined them for caffeine and other chemicals. These metabolites are natural byproducts that result from the body breaking down coffee.
The findings were quite interesting. By measuring the metabolites in their urine, they observed that those who consumed more caffeine from coffee appeared to have a lower risk of developing liver fibrosis. This implies that drinking coffee may be beneficial for one’s liver health.
These results were published in the journal Nutrients in January 2023. It is worth noting that funding for this study came in part from The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), which is made up of six of the major European coffee companies, and therefore may be slightly biased.
This study reveals that there may be some positive effects from consuming coffee on our livers, which could help improve overall well-being. Therefore, including a cup of coffee in your daily routine is worth considering if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or are overweight.
This study suggests a positive link between coffee and liver health, but more research is needed. Still, this inquiry has made a good step toward finding out more about the problem.
The Risks Associated with Liver Disease
Surprisingly, roughly one in four adults living in the United States suffer from some form of liver disease, as reported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. This statistic is quite alarming, considering how widespread it is.
People who are overweight or obese, have type 2 diabetes, abnormally high levels of fats in the blood, or have metabolic syndrome (which is linked to obesity) are more likely to suffer from Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). This condition is caused by an accumulation of fat in the liver that is not due to alcohol consumption.
It can be caused by obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms connected to obesity that includes insulin resistance. All these factors contribute to an increased risk of developing NAFLD.
Possible Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption
Even though the study only included a small number of patients, the results are significant, according to Dr. Liyun Yuan a well-known hepatologist at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles.2https://www.healthline.com/health-news/coffee-may-reduce-liver-disease-severity-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes#The-potential-benefits-of-coffee
She also noted that the study’s findings could be extended to all people with NAFLD and/or metabolic syndrome because many population-based studies have shown coffee’s benefits.3https://www.healthline.com/health-news/coffee-may-reduce-liver-disease-severity-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes#The-potential-benefits-of-coffee
Transforming Your Diet for a Healthier Liver
Those at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients can drink coffee, according to research. The study suggests that moderate coffee consumption may lower NAFLD risk and symptoms.
Moreover, other studies have demonstrated that regular coffee drinkers are less likely to suffer from NAFLD compared to those who do not consume it. So, individuals with existing NAFLD or who are at risk for the condition should consider including a moderate amount of coffee in their diet.
Even though coffee is good for us, we should still be careful when we add sugar and cream. Too much of these ingredients can make you gain weight and raise your risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Because of this, we need to be careful about how much sugar and milk we put in our coffee.
The results of this study also show that the metabolites in coffee, like caffeine and other parts of coffee, are good for your health.
Too much caffeine can cause unwanted and harmful side effects. If you drink too much coffee with caffeine, you might feel nervous, sleepless, restless, irritable, dizzy, or have an upset stomach.
Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
Dr. Rohit Loomba, a professor in the Division of Gastroenterology at UC San Diego School of Medicine and director of hepatology at UC San Diego Health recommends that people limit the amount of added sugars and sweetened drinks they eat and drink. He advises people to get some physical activity every day as well.
In particular, “the Mediterranean diet is helpful,” he said, “especially when you control the number of calories that you’re getting from that diet.” 4https://www.healthline.com/health-news/coffee-may-reduce-liver-disease-severity-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes
Dr. Yuan agrees that the Mediterranean diet could help people with NAFLD. It emphasizes eating whole grains, high fiber, and healthy fats, just like those you can find in nuts, olive oil, and avocado. It also encourages eating lean protein from fish like tuna or salmon and a lot of leafy vegetables. This nutrient-rich mix can help keep the liver healthy over time.
“Building healthy dietary choices is fundamental to reducing the risk and progression of NAFLD,” she said, as well as “other complications of metabolic syndromes, such as cardiovascular diseases and vascular dementia.” 5https://www.healthline.com/health-news/coffee-may-reduce-liver-disease-severity-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes
Her tragic family history of Type 2 Diabetes, and her own diagnosis of prediabetes in 2021 caused her to research more deeply, leading to a passion in educating people on how to hopefully put this disease into remission.
