Bhubaneswar, Oct 7: A new study has found that drinking too many sugary or artificially sweetened beverages could increase the risk of developing a serious liver condition known as MASLD, formerly called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Researchers tracked over 1,23,000 people in the UK for more than 10 years. None had liver disease at the start. They found that those who drank more than 250 grams of sugar-sweetened or low/no-sugar drinks daily had a 50% - 60% higher chance of developing MASLD. The condition causes fat to build up in the liver, which can lead to inflammation, fatigue, and even liver failure.

Surprisingly, even diet drinks, often seen as healthier, were linked to a higher risk of liver-related deaths. Experts believe these drinks may affect the gut, increase cravings, and disrupt how the body processes insulin.

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The study also showed that replacing these drinks with water helped lower the risk. Swapping sugary drinks for water cut MASLD risk by nearly 13%, while switching from diet drinks to water dropped the risk by over 15%.

Doctors say the safest option is to limit both types of drinks and choose water instead.

Healthier and easy-to-find drink options other than plain water include lemon water, and unsweetened coconut water. Traditional drinks like buttermilk and unsweetened lassi are also good choices. Fruit-infused water adds flavour naturally, making these simple beverages great alternatives to sugary or diet drinks.

With MASLD now affecting over 30% of people worldwide, researchers stress the need for better awareness and further studies to understand how sweeteners impact liver health.