Coffee is Good for Your Liver

If you are a regular consumer of alcohol, you should probably start drinking coffee.  Especially if you are a man.


Finnish researchers measured the liver enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) of 19,000 Finnish men and women between ages 25 and 74. Drinking alcohol raises the level of GGT. Men who drink 3.5 drinks daily had the highest levels, which can lead to alcoholic liver disease. But among those heavy drinkers who consumed more than five cups of coffee a day showed a 50% reduction in GGT versus men who didn't drink coffee. But don't get cocky! The researchers aren't sure if this decrease in the enzyme leands to health improvement or a decreased risk of liver disease.

Oh, and smoking, older age and being overweight can also raise GGT levels.