A new study has found that drinking sugar-sweetened beverages daily may significantly increase the risk of liver cancer and death from chronic liver disease.
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital analyzed data from nearly 100,000 postmenopausal women and discovered that those who regularly consumed sugary drinks had a much higher likelihood of developing serious liver conditions.
Sugary Drinks and Liver Disease
Sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda and fruit drinks (excluding natural fruit juice), are widely consumed in the United States. About 65% of American adults drink them every day. At the same time, chronic liver disease is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide. It can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis, and other life-threatening conditions.
Despite these concerns, little research has been done to examine the link between sugary drinks and liver disease. This study, published in JAMA, is one of the first to explore this connection.
The Study and Key Findings
Researchers followed 98,786 postmenopausal women for over 20 years as part of the Women’s Health Initiative study. Participants reported how often they drank sugary beverages, and after three years, they also reported their intake of artificially sweetened drinks.
Scientists then tracked cases of liver cancer and deaths caused by chronic liver disease, such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, or hepatitis. Medical records and the National Death Index were used to confirm these cases.
The results were concerning:
- Women who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily had an 85% higher risk of liver cancer compared to those who consumed fewer than three sugary drinks per month.
- They also had a 68% higher risk of dying from chronic liver disease.
These findings suggest that high sugar intake from beverages may play a role in liver disease progression.
Limitations and Need for Further Research
Since the study was observational, it cannot prove that sugary drinks directly cause liver cancer or disease. It relied on self-reported information, which may not always be accurate. Additionally, researchers are still unsure exactly how sugary drinks contribute to liver damage.
To understand this link better, future studies will need to examine genetic factors, laboratory experiments, and biological data.
What This Means for Public Health
While more research is needed, these findings highlight another potential health risk of consuming sugary drinks. If confirmed, they could lead to new public health recommendations to reduce liver disease risk.
For now, experts suggest limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and choosing healthier alternatives like water, unsweetened tea, or natural fruit juices in moderation. Making these changes could help protect liver health and reduce the risk of serious disease.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about a diet that can treat fatty liver disease and obesity, and coffee drinkers may halve their risk of liver cancer.
For more information about liver health, please see recent studies that anti-inflammatory diet could help prevent fatty liver disease, and results showing vitamin D could help prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The research findings can be found in JAMA.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
