Researchers examined the links between consumption of sugary drinks, non-sugary drinks and the risk of developing a common liver disease that can lead to liver cancer.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition characterised by the accumulation of fat in the liver.
Drinking even one can of soda, whether diet or regular, per day may not be without risk to your health. Indeed, sugary drinks have long been singled out and associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease. But these much-loved beverages may also have an impact on liver health. “Sugary drinks have long been under scrutiny, while their so-called diet alternatives are often considered the healthier choice. However, they are widely consumed and their effects on liver health are poorly understood,” explains the study’s lead author, Lihe Liu, a graduate student in the Department of Gastroenterology at Soochow University’s First Affiliated Hospital in Suzhou, China.
According to a recent study, sweetened beverages are also associated with a higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD). This study was conducted among 123,788 participants, and beverage consumption was assessed using dietary questionnaires. The researchers examined the associations between consumption of sweetened beverages, unsweetened non-alcoholic beverages and the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Liver mortality
“Higher consumption of sweetened and unsweetened beverages (> 250 g per day) was associated with a 60% (HR: 1.599) and 50% (HR: 1.469) increased risk of developing MASLD, respectively. During the median follow-up of 10.3 years, 1,178 participants developed MASLD and 108 died from liver-related causes,” the authors of the study note in a press release.
Although no significant association was observed for sugary drinks, consumption of both sugary and non-sugary drinks was also associated with an increased risk of liver mortality. Both types of drinks were also positively associated with higher liver fat content.
A large part of the population affected
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition characterised by the accumulation of fat in the liver, which can eventually lead to inflammation. The damage it causes can be similar to that seen in heavy drinkers and can lead to cirrhosis. NASH is one of the leading causes of liver cancer. Today, experts estimate that it affects more than 30% of the world’s population. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects around 200,000 people in France.
“The high sugar content of sugary drinks can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, promote weight gain and increase uric acid levels, all of which contribute to the accumulation of liver fat. Non-sugar-sweetened beverages, on the other hand, can affect liver health by altering the gut microbiome, disrupting feelings of fullness, promoting sugar cravings and even stimulating insulin secretion,” the authors point out.
Limiting sugary drinks
‘Our study shows that low-sugar or sugar-free drinks were actually linked to a higher risk of MASLD, even at modest levels of consumption such as a single can per day,’ Liu said in a statement.
