This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Daily consumption of coffee may benefit children with NAFLD
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Consuming coffee on a regular basis may prevent the progression of fatty liver disease and potentially reverse it among children, according to preliminary data presented at the 2015 North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Annual Meeting.
In a prospective observational cohort study, researchers evaluated 26 children with fatty liver disease given a monthly supply of ground coffee, a single-cup filter and measuring cup at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, CA. Each child followed up with a designated gastroenterologist for 3-month outpatient clinic visits.
“Lack of evidence-based therapies is especially problematic in children with NAFLD,” the researchers wrote. “We aimed to determine the effects of daily coffee consumption in known NAFLD patients age 8 to 21 years based on liver function tests.”
Of the patients, 86% were male (n = 19) and the average BMI before the consumption of coffee was 25.9 ± 4.1 kg/m2. Only five patients were included in the final analysis, as they had more than one post-coffee alanine aminotransferase measurement available.
All five patients had improved ALT levels after two follow-up visits within 6 months, according to the abstract. The ALT average before coffee consumption was 113.2 ± 40.1 and reduced to an average of 88.1 ± 21.9 post-coffee consumption (P = .03). The current cohort average BMI post-coffee consumption is 26.1 ± 5.5 kg/m2.
“Based on our preliminary data, standardized daily coffee consumption in children with fatty liver disease may be beneficial in NAFLD, regardless of BMI trends or absence of weight loss,” the researchers concluded. “Regular coffee intake in patients with NAFLD may represent a novel therapy to prevent progressive liver injury.”
Reference:
Fink CA, et al. Abstract 167. Presented at: 2015 NASPGHAN Annual Meeting; Oct. 7-11; Washington, D.C.
Disclosures: Healio.com/Hepatology was unable to confirm relevant financial disclosures at the time of publication.