Study links diet drinks to higher liver disease risk

At United European Gastroenterology Week in Berlin this week, researchers analyzing UK Biobank data on ~120,000 adults over about a decade reported that both sugar‑sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages were associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), with diet drinks tied to an even higher risk (~60%) than sugary drinks (~50%). Lead author Lihe Liu said substituting water for either beverage type was associated with up to a 15% lower risk; the study is not yet peer‑reviewed but adds to concern that artificial sweeteners may adversely affect metabolism and gut bacteria.