Reducing the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes

According to a recent study published in the journal Feed the plant in a bottle By the University of Coimbra Caffeine, polyphenols and other natural compounds in coffee can play a role in reducing the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

NAFLD includes a group of liver diseases that result from the accumulation of fat in the liver. This can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, which can progress to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and even liver cancer. Unlike other liver disorders, NAFLD is often caused by a sedentary lifestyle and calorie-dense diet, not alcohol consumption.


Study participants who drank more coffee had healthier livers. People with higher levels of caffeine were less likely to develop cirrhosis, while higher levels of decaffeinated coffee components were significantly associated with lower fatty liver index scores. The study reports that for T2D patients who are overweight, higher coffee intake is associated with less severe NAFLD1.

Researchers surveyed 156 middle-aged, obese participants about their coffee consumption, 98 of whom had T2D, and provided 24-hour urine samples. This was used to measure caffeine and non-caffeine metabolites – the body’s natural products of breaking down coffee. This methodology follows a recent shift to urinalysis rather than self-reported consumption, to obtain more specific quantitative data on coffee intake 1.

Caffeine intake is associated with reduced cirrhosis in NAFLD and other chronic liver diseases. It has been suggested that other coffee components, including polyphenols, reduce oxidative stress in the liver, which in turn reduces the risk of fibrosis as well as improves glucose homeostasis in both healthy and overweight subjects. All of these factors may also mitigate the severity of T2D.


Study author John Griffith Jones, PhD, senior researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, commented: “Due to changes in diet and modern lifestyle, there is an increase in obesity rates and the incidence of both T2D and NAFLD, which can develop ultimately leading to more severe and irreversible conditions, overwhelming health care systems.Our research is the first of its kind to note that higher cumulative amounts of caffeine and non-caffeine metabolites in urine are associated with lower severity of NAFLD in overweight subjects with T2D.”

Reference: “Increased intake of both caffeinated and non-caffeinated coffee components is associated with reduced severity of NAFLD in subjects with type 2 diabetes” by Margarida Coelho, Rita S. Patarao, Ines Souza Lima, Rogério T. Ribeiro, María João Meneses, Rita Andrade, Vera Méndez Bruno Manadas, João Felipe Raposo, M. Paula Macedo and John G. Jones, December 20, 2022, Available here. Feed the plant in a bottle.
DOI: 10.3390/nu15010004