Web Desk(October 8, 2017): Here’s news that might sour you on sweets: New research shows that overdoing it on sugar might harm the livers of otherwise healthy men.
The researchers found that a sugar-rich diet was associated with unhealthily high levels of fat in both the blood and the liver.
The bottom line, said lead researcher Bruce, is that “consuming high amounts of sugar can alter your fat metabolism in ways that could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Excess fat accumulation in the liver is considered unhealthy, and the men with high fat levels already had a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
The investigators found that the participants with NAFLD who followed the high-sugar diet developed changes in their fat metabolism, the processes by which the body breaks down fats in the blood and uses them for energy.
Those changes are well-known to be linked to a greater risk for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke, the research team said.
But similar changes were also noted in the livers of otherwise healthy men who had a low level of liver fat when the study began.
“Our findings provide new evidence that consuming high amounts of sugar can alter your fat metabolism in ways that could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease,” Griffin said.
The study authors said their findings are particularly concerning since the prevalence of NAFLD is on the rise among children as well as adults.
she said that the study’s “conclusion that a sugar-laden diet may raise your risk of dying of heart disease is something we cannot ignore”.
“Sugar is not only found in candy, soda and cookies, it’s in sauces and condiments, and lots of savory snacks are also packing sugar into the daily diet,” White said, so “checking ingredient lists to cut back on sugar intake is a must.”.
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