Introduction and Objective: Human evidence is lacking on whether added sugar intake affects liver function via gut microbes. We examined associations of added sugar intake from desserts, a major added sugar source, with liver fibrosis (FIB-4), MRI liver fat (PDFF) and inflammation (native T1), gut microbiota, and metabolites in Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).Methods: Among 12,345 adults free of advanced liver disease in 2008-11 (V1), usual added sugar intake from desserts (pastries, candies, and sweet snacks) was estimated with two 24-hour recalls and food propensity questionnaires by NCI methods. We examined: 1) associations of added sugar intake from desserts with longitudinal FIB-4 (22,820 observations via 2024), gut microbial species (shotgun metagenomics; n=2770, V2: 2014-17), and blood metabolites (n=5424, V1); 2) associations of gut microbes with liver outcomes (FIB-4, PDFF, native T1; n=726, V3: 2020-24) and blood metabolites (n=722, V2). Demographic, lifestyle, dietary, metabolic, and gut covariates were adjusted.Results: Higher added sugar intake from desserts was related to higher FIB-4 (per 5% daily energy, β=0.10, 95% CI 0.03-0.17). It was also related to 23 of 198 microbes (MaAsLin; FDR<0.25), including higher Bifidobacterium bifidum, B. breve, B. dentium, B. angulatum, and B. longum, commonly implicated in glucose/fructose metabolism and host lipogenesis. These Bifidobacterium species were also positively related to PDFF and/or native T1. Metabolomics analyses identified 26 of 653 metabolites showing significant and directionally consistent associations with added sugar intake from desserts, at least one Bifidobacterium species, and PDFF and/or native T1, including higher phosphatidylinositols (e.g., PI(16:0/18:1)) and lower microbial phenylalanine metabolites (e.g., 4-ethylphenylsulfate).Conclusion: In Hispanic/Latino adults, added sugar intake from desserts was related to liver fibrosis and Bifidobacterium species and related metabolites linked to liver fat and inflammation.
Y. Zhang: None. T. Wang: None. Q. Qi: None. D. Sotres-Alvarez: None. D. Kanmaniraja: None. M. Naveed: None. S. Shitole: None. C. Cordero: None. J.A. Lima: None. J.C. Price: Research Support; Current; AbbVie Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., VIR, Aligos. Research Support; Ended; Cepheid. J.R. Kizer: Stock/Shareholder; Ended; Abbott, AbbVie Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Medtronic, Merck & Co., Inc., Pfizer Inc. R. Kaplan: None.
Source link
Leave a Reply