A coffee break may cut you a break from gallstones, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

By following more than 46,000 men for 10 years, researchers at Harvard School of Public Health found that those who drank 2 to 3 cups of regular java daily ran a 40% lower risk of gallstones than those who drank no coffee. Men who downed 4 or more cups ran a 45% lower risk.

Why? Gallstones form in the gallbladder, which stores bile, a cholesterol-containing secre­tion that is released into the intestine to help digest fat. When there is too much cholesterol in the bile, or if the gallbladder doesn’t  release the bile efficiently, gall­stones are more likely to form. Caf­feine and other compounds in reg­ular coffee might lower gallstone risk in part by affecting the cholesterol levels in bile and triggering contractions that help empty the gallbladder more quickly and more completely, speculates lead researcher Michael Leitzmann, MD.

Because the study included only men, whether or not moderate coffee consumption can afford women the same benefits is yet to be deter­mined, according to Dr. Leitzmann. He suggests these two sensible guide­lines:

Don't start drinking cof­fee simply to stave off gall­stones. Research suggests that other strategies, such as slowly losing excess weight and quitting smoking, can lower your risk too.

Limit yourself to 2 to 3 cups a day. "The additional risk reduction that you get from 4 or more cups per day is pretty minimal," says Dr. Leitzmann. Too much coffee can contribute to anxiety, irritability, insomnia, gastroin­testinal upset, and dehydra­tion. Pregnant women are advised to limit their coffee intake.

by Teri Walsh

PREVENTION / NOVEMBER 1999
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