Diet Drinks May Harm Liver More Than Sugary Sodas, Study Warns
- Experts urge health officials to rethink ‘healthy’ alternatives as research raises alarm
Artificially sweetened “diet” drinks — often marketed as a healthier choice — may actually pose a greater risk to liver health than regular sugary beverages, according to new research that tracked more than 120,000 adults over a decade.
The study found that consuming even a single can of low- or non-sugar-sweetened drinks daily was linked to a higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition formerly known as fatty liver disease. Researchers said replacing either sugary or diet drinks with water significantly reduced the risk of MASLD by up to 15 percent.
According to the Daily Mail, the study’s findings challenge the widespread belief that diet drinks are harmless. Experts warned that both sugary and sugar-free beverages could harm the liver and urged public health officials to reconsider their inclusion in “healthy diet” plans.
“Sugar-sweetened beverages have long been under scrutiny, but their ‘diet’ alternatives are often seen as the healthier choice,” said Dr. Lihe Liu, a gastroenterology researcher at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China. “Our study shows that even modest consumption of these drinks increases liver disease risk. Water remains the best choice.”
The research, involving 123,788 adults without prior liver disease, found that 1,178 participants developed MASLD and 108 died from liver-related causes during the 10-year follow-up. Scientists believe sugar-laden drinks spike blood glucose and insulin levels, while artificially sweetened drinks may disrupt gut bacteria and stimulate sweet cravings.
The full study will be presented at the United European Gastroenterology Congress in Berlin on October 7. The British Liver Trust estimates that up to 40 percent of people in the UK could be living with MASLD — with about 80 percent still undiagnosed due to the disease’s subtle or silent symptoms.
Professor Philip Newsome of King’s College London told the Daily Mail that non-alcoholic liver disease is rising rapidly, particularly among overweight and diabetic individuals. “It’s a dangerous misconception that only alcohol causes liver scarring,” he said. “Excess fat and uncontrolled blood sugar can do the same damage.”
Drinking just one can of fizzy drink per day—diet or full-fat—could dramatically raise the risk of developing deadly liver disease, concerning research today suggested.
Known medically as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the condition is not linked to heavy drinking—the more commonly known cause of liver problems.
Instead, MASLD occurs when excess fat builds up inside the liver, and it is said to be on the rise in the UK.
Now, Chinese researchers have discovered just 250ml of fizzy drinks per day — less than one can — was enough to raise the risk of MASLD by up to 60 per cent.
The scientists, who analysed the diets of more than 123,000 British adults, found those who guzzled sugar-sweetened drinks like Coca-Cola had a 50 per cent increased likelihood of developing the condition.
