Coffee can prevent gallstones, study says

Recently, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that men drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can reduce the incidence of cholecystolithiasis by 45%. A study followed 46008 men between the ages of 40 and 75 with no history of cholelithiasis. Ten years later, 1081 patients developed symptomatic cholecystolithiasis, of which 885 had to undergo cholecystectomy. Compared with men who did not drink coffee, men who drank 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day had a 40% lower risk of developing gallstones, and men who drank more than 4 cups a day reduced their risk of developing gallstones by 45%, the researchers found. Drinking tea drinks, decaffeinated coffee or low-calorie soft drinks containing caffeine had no effect. 20 million people in the United States suffer from cholecystolithiasis and 100000 people need surgery each year. The reason why coffee prevents cholecystolithiasis is unclear. The researchers speculate that caffeine may promote gallbladder contraction and emptying. Due to the different ways, amount, source and roasting methods of drinking coffee, and individual tolerance to coffee, the effect of coffee on health is very different, so, the amount of coffee consumed should depend on the health status of the individual.