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Topics: News, Health, Food and Drink
Gerrard Kaonga
A new study has found that even a small amount of soda each day is enough to overload the liver and cause serious health issues.
While most people are aware that sugary soda drinks aren’t exactly good for you, it's easy to understand why people might be underestimating the impact they can have on your overall health.
Since the drinks are popular worldwide, the health risks can often be ignored or forgotten, especially when it comes to regular consumption.
What we do already know is that regular consumption is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay, but it could also be negatively impacting the liver.
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Recent research in Annals of Hepatology found that drinking not even one can a day can be linked to serious liver problems.
The team behind the study examined the association between soft drink consumption and liver dysfunction when they analyzed 1,759 healthcare workers.
Looking at their dietary habits, they were able to hypothesize that non-diet soft drink consumption was associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction.
This is associated with steatotic liver disease (MASLD) formerly called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
In general, MASLD is a liver condition that affects people who are obese or have other metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, according to Jacqueline Vernarelli, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist, public health nutritionist, and associate professor at Sacred Heart University.
It occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver due to due to metabolic health issues rather than alcohol, and over time can lead to liver inflammation.
With that said, gastroenterologist at Endeavor Health MD Andrew Moore has said more research needs to be done as there are multiple factors that must be considered.
These factors include overall diet, lifestyle and genetics, which can also influence liver health.
According to a FoodandWine report, he said those who drink more soda have higher rates of liver dysfunction but it doesn’t directly prove that soda causes liver disease.
He emphasized the need to distinguish correlation from causation, hence the need for more data and analysis.
He added: “While it’s not the sole cause, there is strong evidence to support that regular soda consumption is associated with the development of MASLD.”
So, if right now you're under the impression that you're sitting pretty consuming one can of soda a day, it might be worth cutting back for a while.