A new large study has found that both sugary drinks and their “diet” versions may increase the risk of developing a serious liver condition.
This includes drinks like soda, sports drinks, and artificially sweetened beverages that many people think are healthier.
The research was presented at UEG Week 2025 and followed over 123,000 participants from the UK Biobank who did not have liver disease at the start.
The study looked at people’s drink choices over time and how these related to their risk of developing a condition called MASLD—short for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
This condition, once known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, happens when fat builds up in the liver and can lead to pain, tiredness, and serious liver damage if not treated.
The results showed that people who drank more than 250 grams (about one can) of sugary drinks per day had a 50% higher risk of developing MASLD.
Surprisingly, people who drank the same amount of low- or no-sugar sweetened beverages had an even higher risk—60%. Over a period of just over 10 years, more than 1,100 people developed MASLD, and 108 died from liver-related causes.
Even though sugary drinks have long been seen as unhealthy, this study highlights that diet drinks are not as safe as many people think.
Lead researcher Lihe Liu explained that while sugar can cause spikes in blood sugar and insulin, lead to weight gain, and raise uric acid levels, artificial sweeteners might also affect the liver in harmful ways.
These may include changing the gut microbiome, confusing the brain’s sense of fullness, increasing cravings for sweet foods, or even triggering insulin release.
Importantly, people who replaced sugary or diet drinks with water had a much lower risk of developing liver disease—13% lower for those who gave up sugary drinks and over 15% lower for those who stopped drinking diet drinks. However, switching between the two drink types offered no health benefit.
The message from this study is clear: cutting back on both types of sweetened drinks—sugar or artificial—is a smart choice for your liver. The researchers say water is the best alternative because it keeps the body hydrated without adding any sugar or chemicals that stress the liver.
With MASLD becoming the most common chronic liver disease around the world, and linked to rising deaths, this new evidence could help guide better dietary advice. The team plans to keep studying how sugar and sweeteners affect the body, especially how they interact with the gut and contribute to disease.
If you care about liver health, please read studies about Healthy liver, happy life: new advice for keeping your liver in top shape and findings of Ibuprofen may have significant impact on the liver.
For more about liver health, please read studies about Fatty liver disease linked to severe infections and findings of A new drug for weight loss and liver health.
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