The Study
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in humans is associated with increased plasma endotoxin and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 concentrations and with fructose intake.
This study looked at a small group of people with fatty liver and compared what they ate to people without it. It found that those with fatty liver tended to eat more sugar, but that doesn't mean the sugar made them sick—maybe being sick made them eat more sugar. It's like noticing people who break their legs often have ice cream nearby—it doesn't mean ice cream causes broken legs.
Analysis score
Maximum 58 for a case-control study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at people with a fatty liver and found they ate more fructose (a sugar in soda and sweets) than healthy people—even though they ate the same total amount of food.
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 533 / 100
Quality score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—this suggests eating lots of fructose might be a specific risk factor for fatty liver, even if total calories are the same.
- 2People with fatty liver ate more fructose, had 83% higher endotoxin in blood, and 54% higher liver inflammation markers linked to sugar intake.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Journal of nutrition
Year
2008
Authors
S. Thuy, R. Ladurner, V. Volynets, S. Wagner, S. Strahl, A. Königsrainer, K. Maier, S. Bischoff, I. Bergheim
Related Content
Claims (6)
Eating too much sugar, especially fructose found in sodas and sweet snacks, tricks your liver into making excess fat, which can lead to a fatty liver, make your body less responsive to insulin, and raise your risk of heart disease.
In adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, higher levels of endotoxin in the blood are associated with higher levels of TLR4 messenger RNA in the liver.
In adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, higher consumption of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and total carbohydrates is linked to higher levels of PAI-1 mRNA in the liver.
People with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease consume more fructose in their diet than healthy people, even when they eat the same total amount of calories and other nutrients.
Adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have higher levels of bacterial endotoxins in their blood than adults without the disease.
Adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have higher levels of PAI-1 in their blood than healthy individuals, and these higher levels are linked to increased endotoxin in the blood and higher TLR4 activity in the liver.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.