World Liver Day 2026: India’s youth suffering from liver damage linked to heavy energy drink consumption

Leading specialists on Sunday warned that excessive consumption of energy drinks is emerging as a leading cause of liver damage among Indias youth on the occasion of the World Liver DayDoctors warned that the trend is accelerating with young patients increasingly showing early signs of liver diseaseEnergy drinks are aggressively marketed to young consumers as performance enhancers and fatigue relievers but these drinks often contain caffeine levels far exceeding recommended daily limits along with substances such as taurine and herbal stimulants which the liver must metaboliseOver time this biochemical overload can impair liver function medical experts saidDoctors also warned against the increasingly popular trend of mixing energy drinks with alcohol The stimulant effect of caffeine can mask the sedative effects of alcohol leading individuals to consume more alcohol than they realiseldquoThree major contributors to liver dysfunction are energy drinks alcohol and highsugar beveragesAlcohol continues to be a leading cause of liver disease and sugary drinks contribute to fatty liver disease said Dr Abhideep Chaudhary President of the Liver Transplantation Society of India LTSI New DelhiIf liver damage progresses beyond a certain point a liver transplant often becomes the only lifesaving option he addedA case published in the journal BMJ Case Reports documented acute hepatitis in a previously healthy individual linked to excessive energy drink consumption causing high levels of niacin Vitamin B3 known to be hepatotoxicResearch indicated that high sugar content caffeine and chemical additives in energy drinks can trigger fat accumulation in liver cells oxidative stress and inflammationThese factors contribute to liver injury over time experts said adding that when consumed frequently especially alongside alcohol or unhealthy diets these beverages significantly increase the risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease NAFLDStudies suggested that nearly 25ndash30 per cent of the urban population may be suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with a growing number of adolescents and young adultsWe are witnessing a demographic shift in liver disease with more patients aged 2030 reporting conditions that were once seen primarily in older individuals Many young people are unaware of the risks and consider these beverages part of a normal lifestyle said Dr Neerav Goyal PresidentElect of Liver Transplantation Society of India LTSI and Head Liver Transplant Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Indraprastha Apollo HospitalThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever