Sikarin Upala from Bassett Medical Center: Using Caffeine to Slow Progression of Hepatitis C and Hepatic Fibrosis

A recent study looked to shed light on the long-researched belief that caffeine decreases the risk of advanced hepatic fibrosis in people with hepatitis C.

Sikarin Upala, MD, Bassett Medical Center, spoke about using caffeine to slow the progression of Hepatitis C and Hepatic Fibrosis during DDW 2016 in San Diego.

The research aimed to determine if there was any correlation between caffeine intake and hepatitis c infection or liver fibrosis. In the studies, caffeine beverages were consumed, whether one cup or several cups a day.

“We found those in the group who consumed caffeine reduced the risk of chronic Hepatitis C by 61 percent, compared to the group that did not have caffeine consumption,” Upala said.

The risk was specific to those who had hepatitis c and could then have advanced to liver cirrhosis as a result of that risk, he said. “Caffeine also helped improve the liver function of the caffeine group,” he added.

Upala said the research is significant because caffeine is so widely available in food and drink products. He recommended more studies, including randomized control trials, as his research was general data.

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