A big-scale investigation has discovered that individuals who commonly devour each sugar-sweetened drinks (SSBs) and low- or no-sugar-sweetened drinks (LNSSBs) face a considerably better probability of growing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver illness (MASLD).1
Offered at UEG Week 2025, the analysis adopted 123,788 adults from the UK Biobank who had no indicators of liver illness firstly of the research. Individuals’ drink habits have been recorded by means of repeated 24-hour dietary questionnaires, permitting researchers to discover how each SSB and LNSSB consumption associated to MASLD, liver fats buildup, and deaths linked to liver illness.
People who drank greater than 250 grams of both kind of beverage per day had notably increased dangers: a 60% elevated probability of growing MASLD for these consuming LNSSBs (HR: 1.599) and a 50% improve for these consuming SSBs (HR: 1.469). Throughout a median follow-up of 10.3 years, 1,178 individuals developed MASLD and 108 died from liver-related causes. Though SSBs weren’t considerably related to liver-related mortality, LNSSB consumption was. Each sorts of drinks have been additionally related to increased ranges of liver fats.
MASLD, beforehand often known as non-alcoholic fatty liver illness (NAFLD), happens when extra fats builds up within the liver. Over time, this could set off irritation (hepatitis) and result in signs resembling belly ache, fatigue, and lack of urge for food.2 Now the commonest persistent liver situation worldwide, MASLD impacts greater than 30% of individuals and is quickly turning into a number one reason for liver-related deaths.3
Lead researcher Lihe Liu defined, “SSBs have lengthy been beneath scrutiny, whereas their ‘food plan’ alternate options are sometimes seen because the more healthy alternative. Each, nonetheless, are extensively consumed and their results on liver well being haven’t been properly understood.”
“Our research exhibits that LNSSBs have been really linked to the next danger of MASLD, even at modest consumption ranges resembling a single can per day. These findings problem the widespread notion that these drinks are innocent and spotlight the necessity to rethink their position in food plan and liver well being, particularly as MASLD emerges as a world well being concern.”
Liu additionally mentioned the doable organic causes behind the findings: “The upper sugar content material in SSBs may cause speedy spikes in blood glucose and insulin, promote weight achieve and improve uric acid ranges, all of which contribute to liver fats accumulation. LNSSBs, alternatively, could have an effect on liver well being by altering the intestine microbiome, disrupting the sensation of fullness, driving candy cravings and even stimulating insulin secretion.”
The authors emphasised that these findings help limiting each SSBs and LNSSBs as a part of a complete prevention technique, focusing on not solely liver illness but in addition cardio-renal-metabolic well being. Changing both beverage with water considerably lowered MASLD danger — by 12.8% for SSBs and 15.2% for LNSSBs — whereas substitution between the 2 kinds of drinks provided no danger discount.
Liu added, “The most secure method is to restrict each sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks. Water stays the only option because it removes the metabolic burden and prevents fats accumulation within the liver, while hydrating the physique.”
The researchers now goal to discover causal mechanisms extra deeply by means of long-term, randomized and genetic trials with a give attention to how sugar and its substitutes work together with the intestine microbiome and affect liver illness.
References:
- Liu, L et al. Sugar- and low/non-sugar-sweetened drinks and dangers of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver illness and liver-related mortality: A potential evaluation of the UK Biobank. Offered at UEG Week 2025; 7 October 2025; Berlin, Germany.
- Girish, V. and John, S. Metabolic Dysfunction-Related Steatotic Liver Illness (MASLD). (2025). PMID: 31082077
- Younossi, Z. M. et al. The worldwide epidemiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver illness (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): a scientific evaluation. (2023). Journals. DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000004
