Upping your coffee intake may help reduce your chances of developing alcohol-related cirrhosis, according to a review done by the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics of multiple existing studies.

Drinking just two more cups of coffee every day may lower the risk of developing the liver condition by 44%, according to researchers who analyzed nine studies that examined the relationship between coffee consumption and the risk of cirrhosis.

More than 430,000 participants were a part of the nine studies. The duration of these studies varied, but the longest one lasted about 20 years. In eight of the nine studies examined, researchers found increasing coffee consumption by two cups per day was "associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of cirrhosis." The review, published January 25, is the first meta-analysis to show the potential protective properties of coffee.

Dr. Oliver Kennedy, who conducted the research as part of a team at Southampton University in the United Kingdom, told CNN the team combined the data of these existing studies to calculate a more precise relationship between coffee and the risk of cirrhosis.

Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? In the following slides, we compare the amount of sugar found in some of America's top-selling beverages -- according to Beverage Industry magazine's 2013 State of the Industry Report -- to the sugar found in common sugary snacks. Hide Caption 1 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Soda: Coca-Cola – A 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola Classic contains 65 grams of sugar, which is the same amount of sugar found in five Little Debbie Swiss Rolls. Hide Caption 2 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Soda: Pepsi – A 20-ounce bottle of Pepsi contains 69 grams of sugar. Each Little Debbie Swiss Roll contains an estimated 13 grams of sugar. Hide Caption 3 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Juice: Minute Maid 100% Apple Juice – This 15.2-ounce bottle contains 49 grams of sugar, which is about the amount of sugar in 10 Oreos. Sugar occurs naturally in fruit, but natural sugar isn't any different in chemical structure from what most people refer to as added sugar. The body processes both the same way. One benefit of eating whole fruit is the fiber that helps slow absorption; that fiber is generally lost in the juice-making process. Hide Caption 4 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Juice: SunnyD Original – A 16-ounce bottle of SunnyD Original contains 28 grams of sugar. Each these six Oreos contains about 4.6 grams of sugar. Hide Caption 5 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Tea: Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng & Honey – A 23-ounce can of Arizona Green Tea contains 51 grams of sugar, which is about the same as can be found in 20 Hershey's Kisses. The World Health Organization recently proposed new guidelines that recommend consuming less than 5% of our total daily calories from added sugars. For an adult at a normal body mass index, or BMI, 5% would be around 25 grams of sugar -- or six teaspoons. Hide Caption 6 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Tea: Lipton Lemon Iced Tea – There are 32 grams of sugar in this 20-ounce bottle of iced tea. Each of these 12 Hershey's Kisses contains approximately 2.5 grams of sugar. Hide Caption 7 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Energy drink: Red Bull – Three-quarters of a cup of generic-brand frosted flakes contains about 11 grams of sugar. This 16-ounce can of Red Bull has 52 grams of sugar. Red Bull and many of the companies in this gallery offer lower or no-sugar versions of their drinks. "Nearly half -- 45% -- of all non-alcoholic beverages contain 0% (sugar)," said Christopher Gindlesperger, spokesman for the American Beverage Association. Hide Caption 8 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Energy drink: Monster Energy – This 16-ounce can of Monster Energy has 54 grams of sugar. It contains the same amount of sugar as about 3.5 cups of frosted flakes. Hide Caption 9 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Milk: Generic skim milk – An 8-ounce glass of skim milk has about 11 grams of sugar. A single Starburst candy has 2.7 grams. Hide Caption 10 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Milk: Silk Vanilla Soymilk – A glass of vanilla soymilk has about 8 grams of sugar, which is equal to the amount found in three Starbursts. Hide Caption 11 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Milk: Silk Almond Milk Original – A glass of original almond milk contains 7 grams of sugar. Unsweetened almond milk has 0 grams. Hide Caption 12 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Juice smoothie: Naked Berry Blast – The 15.2-ounce bottle of Naked Berry Blast has 29 grams of sugar. Each of these eight Chips Ahoy! cookies contains about 3.6 grams of sugar.

Hide Caption 13 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Juice smoothie: Bolthouse Farms Berry Boost – You'd consume 24 grams of sugar by drinking this Bolthouse Farms Berry Boost 15.2-ounce bottle -- or by eating six Chips Ahoy! cookies. Hide Caption 14 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Sports drink: Gatorade Thirst Quencher Cool Blue – This 32-ounce Gatorade bottle has 56 grams of sugar, the same that can be found in approximately five Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Hide Caption 15 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Sports drink: Powerade Mountain Berry Blast – Powerade's Mountain Berry Blast also has 56 grams of sugar. Each of these five Reese's cups contains about 11 grams of sugar. Hide Caption 16 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Iced coffee: Starbucks Iced Flavored Latte – A Grande Starbucks Iced Flavored Latte with 2% milk and your choice of syrup has about 28 grams of sugar. The same amount of sugar is in 2.5 Krispy Kreme donuts. Hide Caption 17 of 18 Photos: How much sugar is in that drink? Iced coffee: Dunkin Donuts Iced Caramel Latte – A 16-ounce Dunkin Donuts Iced Caramel Latte has 37 grams of sugar. Each Krispy Kreme donut has about 11 grams of sugar. Hide Caption 18 of 18

They found that the risk of cirrhosis was lower at higher levels of coffee consumption. "For example, compared to no coffee, 1 cup per day was associated with a 22% lower risk of cirrhosis and 4 cups per day was associated with a 65% lower risk. However, there may be an upper limit beyond which there is no further benefit," Kennedy said.

But while coffee may reduce the risk of cirrhosis, it will not fully counteract the harmful effects of excess alcohol consumption, Kennedy added.

Cirrhosis is a condition that deteriorates the liver, replacing healthy tissue with scar tissue that blocks blood flow. Common causes for the liver disorder are chronic hepatitis infections, excessive alcohol consumption, immune diseases, obesity and diabetes. And the damaging condition can be fatal, according to the National Institution of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

However, Dr. Hillel Tobias, a liver specialist and chairman of the American Liver Foundation's National Medical Advisory Committee , says the possible preventative effects of coffee are not new. A 2015 reported cited a potential link between coffee's health benefits and cirrhosis preventions

"The problem is that most professionals in the liver community find this hard to accept," Tobias told CNN. "The physiological and biochemical basis has not been established and some experimental evidence is needed. Right now, many of these studies are based on historical information provided by patients."

Tobias said the possibility of patient subjectivity and statistical errors makes him leery of such studies claiming to have a simple fix for cirrhosis.

It should also be noted that some of the studies that were reviewed did not account for other risk factors for cirrhosis like obesity and diabetes, Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics says in its report.

Photos: Five ways to eat healthier Mushrooms have been found to be high in potassium, B vitamins and antioxidants such as ergothioneine, says Joy Dubost, spokeswoman for the US Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Hide Caption 1 of 5 Photos: Five ways to eat healthier Blueberries have been linked to a host of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure. What's more, researchers at Tufts University say, blueberries improve your memory. Hide Caption 2 of 5 Photos: Five ways to eat healthier If you don't like to eat fish, nuts are a good alternative source of omega-3, says Dubost. Hide Caption 3 of 5 Photos: Five ways to eat healthier Studies suggest that coffee may help you stay healthy , and it has been linked to to lower rates of diabetes. Hide Caption 4 of 5 Photos: Five ways to eat healthier Whole grain is not just a source of fiber; it contains lignin, which is broken down in the body to produce polyphenols, which may help lower blood pressure, according to Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Hide Caption 5 of 5

The findings mean more research is needed, Kennedy said. "We now need to conduct proper clinical trials, similar to those necessary for authorization of a new pharmaceutical product, so that doctors and health policy makers can make specific recommendations, he said.

It's important to also keep in mind that the amount of alcohol-related liver damage varies from person to person, Tobias explained. For example, women can't metabolize alcohol as quickly as men. Maintaining healthy eating and drinking habits is a good way to prevent some cases of cirrhosis, according to Tobias.

In the United States, alcoholism is the second-most common cause of cirrhosis. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to fat accumulation and inflammation of the liver, according to NIDDK.