Why sugar drinks might hurt your liver
Fructose- and sucrose- but not glucose-sweetened beverages promote hepatic de novo lipogenesis: A randomized controlled trial.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Glucose, at the same dose (80g/day), did not increase hepatic fatty acid secretion, while fructose and sucrose did.
Many assume all sugars are metabolized similarly. This shows glucose doesn’t trigger the same liver fat response—even at high doses—challenging the idea that 'sugar is sugar.'
Practical Takeaways
Limit daily intake of beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, table sugar, or fruit juice concentrates—opt for water, unsweetened tea, or glucose-free alternatives.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Glucose, at the same dose (80g/day), did not increase hepatic fatty acid secretion, while fructose and sucrose did.
Many assume all sugars are metabolized similarly. This shows glucose doesn’t trigger the same liver fat response—even at high doses—challenging the idea that 'sugar is sugar.'
Practical Takeaways
Limit daily intake of beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, table sugar, or fruit juice concentrates—opt for water, unsweetened tea, or glucose-free alternatives.
Publication
Journal
Journal of hepatology
Year
2021
Authors
Bettina Geidl-Flueck, M. Hochuli, Ágota Németh, A. Eberl, Nina Derron, H. Köfeler, L. Tappy, K. Berneis, G. Spinas, P. Gerber
Related Content
Claims (5)
If healthy men eat about 80 grams of sugar (like table sugar or fruit sugar) every day for 7 weeks, their body still burns fat normally in muscles and blood—but their liver starts making more fat.
If healthy men eat 80 grams of fructose or table sugar every day for 7 weeks, their liver starts making and releasing about twice as much fat as before—but eating the same amount of plain glucose doesn’t do that.
Even when people eat the same number of calories, drinking fructose or sucrose drinks still makes the liver make more fat — so it’s not just because they’re eating too much.
Eating too much fructose, like the sugar in soda and candy, can mess up your liver’s ability to respond to insulin, make more fat in your liver, and raise fat levels in your blood, which can lead to bigger health problems like heart disease.
Eating too much fructose, like the sugar in soda and sweet snacks, makes your liver create more fat, which raises bad fats in your blood and causes body-wide inflammation, making heart disease more likely.