A new study done on 98,786 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 found that consuming 1 sugar-sweetened drink per day was associated with a significantly higher incidence of liver cancer and death from chronic liver diseases. The study followed up with the women for a median of 20.9 years.
At the follow-up, 207 women developed liver cancer and 148 had died from chronic liver disease. Those who had a sugar-sweetened drink were found to have an 85% higher risk of developing liver cancer and 68% higher risk of mortality due to chronic liver disease compared with those consuming 3 servings or less of sugar-sweetened beverages per month.
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The study also looked at artificially sweetened drinks. Still, it found that women who consumed one or more drinks with artificially sweetened drinks per day didn’t have the same significantly higher risk of liver health complications, as sweetened drinks do. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled artificial sweeteners as possible carcinogens to humans.
Signs and symptoms of liver cancer according to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA):
- Loss of appetite
- Upper abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Losing weight without trying to do so
- General weakness and fatigue
- Enlargement of the liver
- Enlarged spleen
- Distended abdomen
- Yellow discolouration of the skin and the white of the eyes (jaundice)
- Dark urine
- Pale (sometimes nearly white), chalky stools
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Fever
Other than limiting your alcohol intake, here’s what you can do to improve the overall health of your liver:
- Include fibre like beans, potatoes, avocados, oats, whole grains, nuts, and seeds in your diet.
- Include healthy fats like extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil in your diet.
- Limit plastic use as microplastics can enter the body and latch onto the liver.
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