Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages may harm your liver. What will happen if you drink sugar-sweetened beverages daily?
You may be aware of the negative health effects of eating too much added sugar. Excessive sugar consumption is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart diseases and certain cancers. Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages daily may also increase the risk of developing liver cancer and chronic liver disease, particularly in women, a new study has suggested.
Globally, chronic liver disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. It can also lead to liver cancer. Published in JAMA, it is believed to be the first the study linking sugar-sweetened beverage intake to liver disease-related mortality.
Why sugar-sweetened beverage is bad for the liver?
The study was led by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the findings were based on the analysis of food habits (specially intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages) and medical records of nearly 100,000 postmenopausal women.
They followed the participants for a median of over 20 years and studied the incidence of liver cancer and death due to chronic liver disease such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, or chronic hepatitis among them.
Consumption of one or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily was found associated with 85 per cent higher risk of liver cancer in nearly 7 per cent of postmenopausal women, as compared those drinking fewer than three sugar-sweetened beverages a month. They had also 68 per cent higher risk of chronic liver disease mortality.
The researchers, however, didn’t know why sugary drinks appeared to increase risk of liver cancer and liver disease. They also noted that the study was observational and relied on self-reported responses, and hence more studies are needed to validate this risk association.
Other health risks associated with sugary beverages
Too much consumption of sugary beverages may also up your risk of developing cancer. A study published in the journal Gut warned that excessive intake of sugary drinks during your teenage years and adulthood could make you prone to developing colorectal cancer later in life. Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages per day was found to double the risk of bowel cancer.
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Studies have also shown that people who consume sugary beverages daily ae also more likely to develop stroke and dementia.
Pregnant women should also avoid consumption of soft drinks and artificially sweetened beverages, as experts say it may make infants fat.
A diet high in added sugar is also linked to an increased risk of developing emotional disorders like anxiety and depression. Too much sugar in your diet may also cause your skin to age prematurely.
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