Experts Say the Drink That May Harm Your Liver Most Isn’t Alcohol — It’s a Popular Beverage Many People Consume Daily

Experts Say the Drink That May Harm Your Liver Most Isn’t Alcohol — It’s a Popular Beverage Many People Consume Daily

Many people associate liver damage primarily with alcohol. But medical research has drawn attention to another everyday habit that may quietly affect liver health: drinking sugar-sweetened beverages regularly.

From fizzy sodas and sweetened iced teas to fruit-flavored drinks and energy drinks, these popular beverages can contain substantial amounts of added sugar. When consumed frequently, they may contribute to fat accumulation in the liver, particularly when combined with excess calorie intake, weight gain, and metabolic problems.

The surprising part? You don’t have to drink alcohol to develop fatty liver disease.

Research suggests that what you drink every day may matter more than many people realize.

1. Why Sugary Drinks Can Affect Your Liver

Your liver plays a central role in processing nutrients, storing energy, and regulating blood sugar.

When you consume large quantities of added sugar, particularly fructose, your liver processes some of that sugar and can convert the excess into fat. Over time, fat may accumulate in liver cells, contributing to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

This condition can develop in people who drink little or no alcohol.

Not everyone who drinks soda will develop liver disease. Risk depends on many factors, including overall diet, genetics, physical activity, body weight, and metabolic health. Nevertheless, frequent consumption of sugary drinks is a modifiable risk factor worth taking seriously.

2. What Does the Research Say?

A study published in JAMA in 2023 examined nearly 99,000 postmenopausal women over approximately 21 years.

Researchers found that women who reported drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily had an 85% higher relative risk of liver cancer and a 68% higher relative risk of death from chronic liver disease than women who consumed three or fewer such drinks per month.

These findings are important, but there is a crucial limitation: the study was observational. It identified an association, not proof that sugary drinks directly caused those outcomes. The findings also cannot automatically be generalized to every population.