5 Cups of Coffee Daily May Lower Your Liver Disease, Cancer Risk By 47%

• A recent study has shown that drinking coffee may help reduce your risk of liver disease and cancer. 
• The researchers found that the more coffee you drink, the greater the potential protective effects. 
• Using sugars or sweeteners in your coffee can slightly reduce the protective effects. 
• It is still important to limit your intake of sugar, sweeteners, and highly processed coffee creamers. 

Your morning cup of coffee may be doing more than boosting your energy. New research suggests it might also help lower your risk of liver disease and liver cancer.

The study, published July 1 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that those protective effects increase with greater coffee consumption.

Participants who drank five or more cups of coffee a day generally saw the greatest liver health benefits, including the largest reduction in liver cancer risk, though adding sugar or other sweeteners may slightly reduce those benefits.

“The results from this study are not surprising since we have prior research suggesting coffee’s positive role in liver and cardiometabolic health,” said Michelle Routhenstein, preventive cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished. Routhenstein wasn’t involved in the study. 

However, the findings show an association rather than proving that coffee directly prevents liver disease and cancer.

More coffee was linked to greater liver health benefits

The study analyzed 354,957 participants ranging in age from 40 to 69 from the UK Biobank who had no baseline cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Researchers tracked cases of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver-related deaths among participants.

Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver is permanently damaged or scarred. The scar tissue replaces healthy tissue, causing the liver to not function properly. An estimated 1 in 400 adults in the United States has cirrhosis. 

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary tumor of the liver. It occurs in around 85% of people with cirrhosis. HCC is the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. It is also the second leading cause of cancer death, after lung cancer, in males. 

The study found that the potential protective effect of coffee appeared to increase the more the participant drank: 

• 1 to 2 cups daily was associated with:
  • 20% lower risk of cirrhosis
  • 24% lower risk of liver cancer
  • 31% lower risk of liver-related death
• 3 to 4 cups daily was associated with:
  • 35% lower risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer
  • 41% lower risk of liver-related death
• 5 cups or more daily was associated with:
  • 32% lower risk of cirrhosis
  • 47% lower risk of liver cancer
  • 42% lower risk of liver-related death

“One of the most exciting aspects of this study is that we were able to connect epidemiologic observations with objective biological evidence,” Hyunseok Kim, MD, transplant hepatologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, first author of the study, told Healthline. 

“We found consistent associations across clinical outcomes, MRI-based liver imaging, and proteomic biomarkers, which strengthens confidence that coffee is linked to healthier liver biology rather than simply healthier lifestyle habits,” he said. 

Routhenstein noted that an interesting finding in this study was that these liver benefits were observed in both decaf and caffeinated coffee, suggesting that polyphenols and antioxidants are likely playing a role, rather than caffeine alone.

“Coffee contains antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid, which help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which may help protect liver cells from damage while also supporting cardiometabolic health,” she said. 

The researchers’ next goal is to identify the specific compounds and biological pathways responsible for these associations and ultimately determine whether these findings can be translated into more personalized strategies for liver disease prevention.

Tips for consuming coffee safely

Kim told Healthline that it’s important to remember that coffee should complement, not replace, other healthy habits.

Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting excessive alcohol, and controlling diabetes and cholesterol remain the cornerstones of liver disease prevention.

However, you can still enjoy your daily coffee and reap its benefits. 

Routhenstein said that she suggests sticking to 1 to 3 cups of coffee a day. 

“If you enjoy coffee black, that is the [best] way to reap the benefits. Try to limit added sugars, flavored syrups, whipped cream, and highly processed creamers, which can contribute to excess calories, blood sugar spikes, and inflammation, and negate [coffee’s] proactive liver and heart benefits,” she said. 

Routhenstein also recommends drinking caffeinated coffee earlier in the day so it doesn’t interfere with your sleep. 

“Sleep plays an important role in metabolic, cardiovascular, and liver health, and disruptions in sleep can affect blood sugar regulation, blood pressure, and inflammation, leading to stress on the liver and cardiometabolic system.”

Kim also noted that people respond differently to caffeine. 

“Higher coffee intake may not be appropriate for individuals with uncontrolled hypertension, certain heart rhythm disorders, severe anxiety, insomnia, pregnancy, or significant caffeine sensitivity. The optimal amount of coffee should be individualized based on a person’s overall health and tolerance,” he said.