Did you know that your liver is the size of a football? The essential organ is primarily responsible for filtering the blood that comes straight out of the digestive tract, before transmitting it to the rest of the body. It also helps to remove toxins from the bloodstream, so it is important not to overload the liver with substances that can impair these important functions, such as alcohol and added sugars.
Alcohol sales increased in 2020, as more people spent time at home and also tackled high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the liver of Americans is suffering as a result. For example, USC Keck Hospital in Los Angeles recently reported that hospitalizations for alcoholic hepatitis and liver failure increased by 30% last yearcompared to the previous year. This particular leap has been largely associated with alcohol abuse, however, alcohol is not the only drink that can cause organ damage.
Below, you’ll see five drinking habits that may be wreaking havoc on your liver. And then, don’t miss 15 underrated weight loss tips that really work for tips on how you can get in shape this year.
While the latest USDA dietary guidelines continue to say that drinking up to a glass of alcohol a day is good for women’s general health, a study suggests otherwise. According to a 2018 study published in the journal Lancet Public Health, the likelihood of a healthy woman developing cirrhosis – or advanced liver scarring caused by liver disease –was higher in those who reported drinking alcohol daily than in those who drank less frequently.
Conclusion: Drinking a glass of alcohol every day (or less) can be the key to keeping your liver in top shape.
The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that men limit alcohol consumption to just two alcoholic drinks a day to maintain good health; however, it is important to make sure that the measurement is correct. A standard drink in the U.S. is defined as 14 grams of alcohol – this can look like 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of table wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor. Unfortunately, women have a higher risk of liver damage compared to men for any level of drinking, according to a 2019 study published in the journal. Hepatology.
In a different study, men (and women) over 50 were found to be at higher risk for cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic liver damage when drinking alcohol without a meal, compared to those who drank only during meals. Even more interesting, the study suggests that occasional excessive alcohol consumption is less likely to cause liver damage than drinking a small amount of alcohol daily. According to the CDC, men are twice as likely to drink to excess than women.
Conclusion: Drinking alcohol with meals can be instrumental in preventing liver disease in older men.
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According to a 2017 study published in Journal of Hepatology, 90% of the 271 obese children and adolescents included reported drinking soda and other sweetened drinks at least once a week. Liver biopsies revealed that 37.6% of children had a condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is a form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Those with NASH experience accumulation of fat in the liver, which is accompanied by inflammation and damage to liver cells. This can cause scarring of the liver, called cirrhosis, which can lead to liver cancer. The researchers suggest that decreasing fructose intake by children may help decrease the risk of NASH and NAFLD.
Conclusion: Limiting the consumption of soft drinks and other sugary drinks by children can help prevent the onset of harmful liver disease.
An advantage of choosing a diet soda instead of a regular soda is to skip any excess sugar added. However, a study suggests that there is a big pitfall in following the path of sugar without sugar. According to a 2008 study published in The Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, people who drank Diet Coke were more likely to suffer from moderate to severe NAFLD.
Conclusion: Limit your intake of dietary foods, just as you would with sugary equivalents.
If you look at the nutrition label on the back of a can made by any of the major soft drink brands, you will probably see high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) listed as one of the three main ingredients. Hyper-sweet artificial sugar, derived from corn syrup, has been linked to several health problems, including obesity, diabetes and heart disease. However, studies have also shown that high intake of HFCS can also trigger NAFLD, according to the National Institutes of Health. In fact, one of these studies found that mice that ate an HFCS-rich diet for long periods experienced a deterioration of their intestinal barrier.
Conclusion: The less HFCS you consume, the more you will reduce your risk of NAFLD and other poor health outcomes.
For healthier exchanges, check out 25 healthy low-sugar soda alternatives.