Medical Bulletin 08/October/2025

To investigate how different beverages influence liver health, researchers from the UK Biobank study followed 123,788 participants without liver disease at baseline. Participants’ beverage intake was assessed through repeated 24-hour dietary questionnaires. Over a median 10.3-year follow-up, the researchers tracked the development of MASLD, liver fat accumulation, and liver-related mortality.

The study found that people consuming more than 250g per day of sugar-sweetened beverages and low- or no-sugar-sweetened beverages had a 50% (HR: 1.469) and 60% (HR: 1.599) increased risk of MASLD, respectively. In total, 1,178 participants developed MASLD, and 108 died from liver-related causes. Surprisingly, while sugar-sweetened beverages were not significantly associated with liver-related death, low- or no-sugar-sweetened beverages were linked to an elevated mortality risk. Both beverage types were also correlated with increased liver fat content.

Lead author Lihe Liu explained, “Our study shows that low- or no-sugar-sweetened beverages were actually linked to a higher risk of MASLD, even at modest intake levels such as a single can per day. These findings challenge the common perception that these drinks are harmless.” Liu also pointed out that low- or no-sugar-sweetened beverages may harm liver health by disrupting gut microbiota, affecting satiety, and increasing sweet cravings.

Importantly, substituting either sugar-sweetened beverages or low- or no-sugar-sweetened beverages with water significantly reduced MASLD risk by 12.8% and 15.2%, respectively.

Reference: https://ueg.eu/

Cardiovascular Complications Now Affect 1 in 7 Pregnancies: AHA Study

A significant rise in heart-related complications during pregnancy has been identified in a new study published in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation. The research, which reviewed electronic health records of more than 56,000 pregnancies within the Mass General Brigham healthcare system from 2001 to 2019, reveals that cardiovascular-related health issues now impact as many as one in every seven pregnancies, approximately 15%, including among individuals with no prior history of heart disease.

The study focused on identifying the growing burden of cardiovascular complications such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, blood clots, hypertensive disorders, and maternal death. Researchers observed that these conditions have increased steadily over the 18-year study period. While the rise was most prominent in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, the upward trend was seen across all age groups and in people with no underlying health conditions.

The researchers attribute this concerning trend to a parallel increase in major health risk factors both before and during pregnancy. The rise in these complications is likely influenced by growing rates of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, the authors noted. Specifically, the percentage of pregnant individuals with obesity rose from 2% in 2001 to 16% in 2019. High blood pressure increased from 3% to 12%, high cholesterol from 3% to 10%, and diabetes from 1% to 3% over the same time period.

“Most of these health risk factors can be prevented through lifestyle changes or medication. Yet, many of my patients aren't even aware they have these conditions or that they're at risk. If you're planning to become pregnant, I strongly encourage you to connect with a clinician early to understand your risks and take steps to reduce them. During pregnancy, stay proactive about your health. Listen to your body and your provider to address any concerns that arise. And don't overlook the postpartum period, which also carries important health considerations. Starting before pregnancy and continuing after birth, there are valuable opportunities to make heart-healthy choices that can help prevent cardiovascular disease and support long-term wellness." Said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women's health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health of Northwell Health, New York City.

Reference: American Heart Association

Study Reveals Poor Early Heart Health Increases Lifetime CVD Risk 10-Fold

A new study published in JAMA Network Open has found that young adults with declining or consistently low heart health face a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life.

Despite past progress in reducing cardiovascular disease burden, recent data shows a concerning slowdown and even reversal in these trends. CVD remains the leading cause of death globally. The latest research highlights that low heart health in early adulthood, particularly among young people, may be contributing to this reversal.

To investigate this, researchers analyzed long-term data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. They used the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8” (LE8) metric, which evaluates cardiovascular health based on factors like diet, physical activity, sleep, tobacco use, body weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. LE8 scores were tracked for several thousand individuals beginning at age 18, over a span of 20 years. They observed how those scores changed over 20 years, and then how those patterns related to poor outcomes such as heart attacks and strokes in the subsequent 20 years.

“People whose LE8 scores were always high were at very low risk for later heart attacks and strokes,” said corresponding author Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, director of the Framingham Heart Study. In contrast, individuals who started with moderate heart health and declined to low had a tenfold increase in risk. Even maintaining moderate heart health over time doubled the risk compared to those with consistently high scores.

The study reinforces that early lifestyle interventions can dramatically alter long-term health outcomes. “Change matters; improvements in heart health can decrease future risk, and the earlier it is attained and maintained, the better,” Lloyd-Jones emphasized. The authors hope the findings will encourage young adults to prioritize heart health to ensure longer, healthier lives.

Reference: Guo JW, Ning H, Allen NB, et al. Cardiovascular Health Changes in Young Adults and Risk of Later-Life Cardiovascular Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(10):e2535573. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.35573