Sugar can be part of a healthy diet—the American Heart Association recommends men limit their daily added sugar intake to 36 grams (9 teaspoons) and women limit theirs to 25 grams (6 teaspoons).1

Many people know that consistently going above these recommendations could lead to health issues such as weight gain or risk of tooth decay.23

But high sugar-diets can also be damaging for your liver. Research suggests excess sugar can increase the buildup of fat in your liver, which raises the risk of fatty liver disease. This condition causes inflammation and liver damage, and in some cases, can progress to a more serious condition linked to liver cancer or liver failure.4

How Sugar Affects Liver Health
Your liver helps process nutrients, regulate blood sugar, and remove toxins from your body. But when you regularly eat more added sugar than your body needs, your liver can start turning some of that extra sugar into fat.

Fructose, a type of sugar, may be harder on the liver because your body processes it differently than glucose, another type of sugar. In your body, glucose converts to energy in your cells, while fructose is processed mostly in the liver, where it can be turned into fat.5

Over time, this may increase the risk of fatty liver disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).6

Added sugar may also affect the liver in other ways. A 2025 study found that simple sugars may contribute to insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and changes in gut bacteria. Together, these effects may place extra strain on the liver.7

Sugary Drinks May Raise Risk the Most
Sugary drinks are one of the top sources of added sugar in the American diet. This includes soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, and sweetened tea and coffee beverages.8

Research links regular intake of sugar-sweetened beverages with a higher risk of fatty liver disease. In a 2022 study, adults who drank more sugary drinks were more likely to have excess liver fat and signs of liver fibrosis (scarring).