The Study
NAFLD-related SNPs are linked to changes in liver fat, as measured by the CAP score, and serum lipids in response to a 3-week sugar-sweetened beverage intervention: a pilot study
This study looked at 15 people who drank sugary drinks for 3 weeks and checked if their genes affected how much fat built up in their liver. It found a few tiny links, but they could’ve just been luck. It’s like noticing that kids with blue socks got better at math — it doesn’t mean blue socks help you learn.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists gave 15 healthy young people soda with lots of fructose for 3 weeks to see if their genes affected how their liver stored fat or changed blood fats.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 565 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The changes were small, not consistent after accounting for age and body type, and didn't prove soda caused liver fat changes in healthy people.
- 2People with a certain gene (rs1227756-AA) started with more liver fat (234 vs 188 CAP units).
- 3Another gene (rs2228603-T) linked to bigger drops in liver fat (−23 vs −18 units), but only before adjusting for age and weight.
- 4T-allele carriers of two other genes had higher HDL and lower triglycerides after soda, opposite of what was expected.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Food & Function
Year
2026
Authors
F. Jeyaraj, Sai Sravani Vennam, Kendra L. Nelson, K. Watts, Lydia R. Goss, B. Nance, Baba B. Mass, V. S. Voruganti
Related Content
Claims (6)
When people consume too much fructose from food, the liver converts it into fats called triglycerides and remnant lipoproteins, which lead to an increase in visceral fat.
Young Caucasian adults with the rs1227756-A allele in the COL13A1 gene have higher liver fat levels measured by CAP score than those with the GG genotype.
In young Caucasian adults, a specific genetic variant called rs1260326-T is linked to higher levels of HDL cholesterol after consuming high-fructose beverages for three weeks, compared to individuals with the CC genotype.
In young, healthy Caucasian adults with normal liver fat, drinking high-fructose beverages for three weeks did not change liver fat, body composition, or blood lipid levels.
In young Caucasian adults, people with the rs58542926-T allele in the TM6SF2 gene have lower serum triglyceride levels after consuming high-fructose beverages for three weeks compared to those with the CC genotype.
In young Caucasian adults, individuals with the rs2228603-T allele in the NCAN gene experience a larger decrease in liver fat after consuming high-fructose beverages for three weeks, compared to those with the CC genotype, but this difference is not significant when accounting for age, sex, and body composition.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.