Caffeine Reduces Risk of Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase

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Caffeine Reduces Risk of Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase

SourceURL:http://www.gastrohep.com

 

In a large study including persons at high risk for liver injury, consumption of

coffee and especially caffeine has been found, in the most recent issue of

Gastroenterology, to be associated with lower risk of elevated alanine

aminotransferase activity.

 

Dr Ruhl and colleagues from Maryland in America designed a study to investigate

whether coffee and caffeine consumption reduced the risk of elevated alanine

aminotransferase (ALT) activity in persons at high risk for liver injury.

 

In this national, population-based study the researchers recruited a total of

5944 adult participants from the Third US National Health and Nutrition

Examination Survey, 1988–1994.

 

The participants exhibited excessive alcohol consumption, viral hepatitis, iron

overload, overweight, or impaired glucose metabolism.

 

Liver injury was indicated by abnormal serum ALT activity (>43 U/L).

 

The researchers found elevated ALT activity in 8.7% of this high-risk

population.

 

In unadjusted analysis, the research team noted that lower ALT activity was

associated with increasing consumption of coffee and caffeine.

 

Relationships were relatively unchanged when analyses included the entire

population —Gastroenterology

 

The researchers performed multivariate logistic regression analyses in order to

show that risk of elevated ALT activity declined with increasing intake of

coffee and caffeine.

 

The research team found that on comparing persons who drank more than 2 cups per

day with noncoffee drinkers, the odds ratio was .56.

 

Comparing persons in the highest caffeine quintile with the lowest, the odds

ratio was .31.

 

The researchers found that these relationships were consistent across subgroups

at risk for liver injury.

 

Relationships were relatively unchanged when analyses included the entire

population or when limited to persons without impaired liver function or right

upper quadrant pain.

 

Fasting insulin concentrations did not mediate the effects.

 

Dr Ruhl concluded, " In this large, national, population-based study, among

persons at high risk for liver injury, consumption of coffee and especially

caffeine was associated with lower risk of elevated ALT activity. "

 

Gastroenterology; 2005: 128 (1)

 

 

 

 

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