Coffee Consumption and Prevention of Cirrhosis: In Support of the Caffeine Hypothesis

Abstract

Coffee is acknowledged as the most widely used drug worldwide. Coffee is also a foodstuff, so its use is often used to satisfy dietary urges. When used as a drug, coffee is normally consumed as a stimulant rather than to treat or prevent particular diseases. Recently, coffee consumption has been inversely related to progression of liver fibrosis to cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Experiments in cellular and animal models have provided biological plausibility for coffee as an antifibrotic agent in the liver. A recent article examined one of the key questions regarding the antifibrotic role of coffee—specifically what is the primary antifibrotic agent in coffee? This article briefly reviews the relevant issues with regard to coffee as an antifibrotic agent for patients with chronic liver disease.