Coffee and alcoholic cirrhosis

Here is another in an endless string of publications reporting associations between a lifestyle parameter and disease. This study of more than 125,000 patients published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that there might be “an ingredient in coffee that protects against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.” Furthermore, the absence of a relation of tea drinking to cirrhosis suggests that the relation is less likely due to caffeine than to some other coffee ingredient.”

Here is the take home message from this study. The authors concluded there are no clear therapeutic implications based on these findings. Even if coffee is protective, the primary approach to reduction of alcoholic cirrhosis is avoidance or cessation of heavy alcohol drinking.”

Illustration: Just Coffee

6/21/06 23:05 JR