As the consumption of sugary beverages increases worldwide, the prevalence of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease is also on the rise. Researchers from a global diet databases announced that about 10% of the world's type 2 diabetes patients and about 3% of cardiovascular disease patients were caused by the consumption of sugary beverages in 2020. While it is known that beverages with added sugars increase the risk of developing diabetes, the physiological changes occurring in the process have not been precisely understood.
Recently, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States suggested that metabolic products generated by gut microbiota may be the linking factor between the consumption of sugary beverages and increased diabetes risk. The research findings were published on the 1st in the international journal "Cell Metabolism." Sugary beverages include all drinks with added sugar, such as carbonated drinks, fruit beverages (excluding 100% pure fruit juice), sugar-added water, and non-alcoholic beer.
To identify the association between sugary beverage consumption and metabolic diseases, the research team analyzed gut microbiota and blood metabolic products in Hispanic and Latino adults in the United States. The Hispanic and Latino communities are known to have a high prevalence of diabetes and consume sugary beverages frequently.
The analysis of 3,035 gut microbiota and blood samples found that among those who consumed two or more sugary beverages a day, the population of nine specific bacteria in the gut changed. Among these, four species were bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids are generated when gut microbiota break down fiber, and they are known to have a positive effect on blood sugar control.
In the guts of those who frequently consumed sugary beverages, the amount of beneficial bacteria decreased while the ratio of bacteria negatively affecting metabolic health increased. In contrast, those who consumed sugar through solid foods did not exhibit these changes in bacteria. Chee Chee-bin, a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, noted, "Sugar contained in beverages is absorbed more easily than added sugars in solid foods, and beverages consist solely of sugar and water, resulting in a very high caloric density."
Generally, sugars found in solid foods are consumed along with dietary fiber, protein, and fats, which means they take time to break down in the digestive system and are absorbed relatively slowly. On the other hand, the sugars in sugary beverages consist almost entirely of pure sugar and water, allowing them to move quickly from the stomach to the intestines and rapidly absorb into the bloodstream. As a result, consuming sugary beverages causes a rapid spike in blood sugar within a short period, leading to an excessive increase in insulin secretion.
The research team discovered 56 blood metabolic products associated with the consumption of sugary beverages. Some of these were generated by gut microbiota or derived from gut microbiota metabolic products. These metabolic products were linked to high fasting blood sugar or insulin levels, high body mass index (BMI), and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Individuals with high levels of these metabolic products were found to be at high risk of developing diabetes within the next 10 years.
The research team said, "This study found that several metabolic products related to gut microbiota are associated with diabetes risk," adding, "These metabolic products may serve as indicators for predicting the onset of diabetes in the future."
However, the research team could not reach definitive conclusions on whether specific gut microbiota species directly increase diabetes risk. They stated, "We will confirm whether gut microbiota and metabolic products mediate the connection between sugary beverages and diabetes through further research, while verifying the findings in other population groups and investigating whether gut microbiota affect other chronic diseases associated with sugar intake, such as cardiovascular disease."
Reference
Cell Metabolism (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2024.12.004