A new study has raised significant questions about the health benefits of diet drinks, suggesting that both sugary and artificially sweetened beverages are linked to a higher risk of liver disease. The research, presented at the United European Gastroenterology Week in Berlin, followed over 120,000 adults for a decade, tracking their beverage consumption and assessing their liver health over time. According to the findings, those who regularly consumed diet drinks faced a significantly higher risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This condition, which is not caused by alcohol, is a growing health concern worldwide, with approximately 4.5 million U.S. adults affected, according to the CDC.
Lead author Lihe Liu, a graduate student in the Department of Gastroenterology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China, explained that the study challenges the long-held assumption that diet drinks are a healthier alternative to sugary beverages. While sugary drinks like soda, sweet tea, and energy drinks were associated with a 50% higher risk of liver disease, diet drinks posed an even greater danger, with a 60% increased risk. This suggests that swapping from regular soda to diet soda may not be beneficial, and could even be detrimental to liver health. The research also highlighted that people who regularly consumed artificially sweetened drinks were more likely to die from liver-related causes.
Scientists speculate that artificial sweeteners may affect the body in ways that contribute to liver disease. These include altering gut bacteria, increasing cravings for sweets, and confusing the brain’s signals regarding hunger and satiety. Additionally, some research suggests that these sweeteners may still trigger insulin spikes, a response typically linked to sugar consumption. Despite these concerns, the researchers advised that the safest approach is to limit both sugar-sweetened and artificially-sweetened drinks, recommending water as the best alternative. The study found that replacing sugary or diet soda with water could reduce liver disease risk by up to 15%, while switching between the two types of beverages showed no risk reduction.
While the study raises important questions about the health impacts of diet drinks, experts have pointed out its limitations. The beverage consumption data was self-reported, which may introduce inaccuracies, and the observational nature of the study means it identifies associations rather than proving causation. The Calorie Control Council, an international association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, echoed these limitations, calling for peer-reviewed studies to provide more conclusive evidence. Carla Saunders, president of the Calorie Control Council in Washington, D.C., stated that the public should demand science-based findings to inform food and beverage choices, emphasizing the importance of long-term clinical trials in evaluating the safety of these drinks.
The research underscores the growing concern about liver disease as a major health problem, particularly in relation to dietary choices. As the full study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, further investigation is needed to fully understand the relationships between beverage consumption and liver health. This study adds to a growing body of research that questions the long-standing assumption that diet drinks are a healthier alternative to their sugary counterparts, prompting a reevaluation of their role in public health and dietary guidelines.