Coffee and Our Liver

A cup of coffee may be doing more than helping us wake up.

A large 2026 study involving more than 350,000 people found that regular coffee intake was linked to better liver health. Higher intake was associated with lower risks of cirrhosis, or severe liver scarring, liver cancer, and death from liver disease during about 13 years of follow-up.

The researchers also looked at liver scans. Higher coffee intake was linked to less fat and iron in the liver, as well as fewer signs of inflammation and scarring. Interestingly, regular and decaf showed similar links, suggesting that caffeine may not be the only helpful part.

But this is not a reason for us to suddenly drink five cups a day. The findings show an association, not proof that coffee itself prevents liver disease. Other habits and health differences may still play a role.

Another 2026 study adds one useful detail: plain coffee may be the better choice. Drinking more than 2.5 servings of unsweetened coffee a day was linked to a lower risk of fatty liver disease, while coffee with sugar or artificial sweeteners did not show the same significant link.

So we do not need to give our morning coffee a new job description as medicine.

But if we already enjoy it, especially without too much sugar, our liver may have another reason to enjoy the cup with us.

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ