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In an epidemiology study, Klatsky et al¹ have convincingly demonstrated a dose-response inverse association between coffee drinking and alcoholic cirrhosis and to a lesser extent between coffee drinking and nonalcoholic cirrhosis. In a cross-sectional study, coffee consumption was also significantly related to a lower prevalence of transaminase enzymes (markers of liver damage), with a stronger association for those who drank large quantities of alcohol. Tea drinking was not related to cirrhosis, but the numbers of heavy tea drinkers were small in this population. The authors speculate that the active principle may be caffeine. We strongly support the hypothesis that it is the polyphenol antioxidant compounds in coffee that are the causative agents and that they may act in concert with caffeine, which is also hepatoprotective.² Coffee has phenolic acids in high concentrations such that usual coffee consumption (2-3 cups/d) provides over 500 mg³ of these and other phenolic compounds. Although . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION
Joe A. Vinson, PhD

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Coffee and Cirrhosis: Active Ingredients?—Reply
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