NOVEL research has shed light on a potential mechanism linking sugary drinks to an increased risk of diabetes. Scientists have found that metabolites produced by gut microbes may play a role in this relationship, according to a recent study.
The study, conducted on a long-term cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States, identified differences in gut microbiota and blood metabolites among individuals who consumed high quantities of sugar-sweetened beverages. The altered metabolite profile observed in these individuals was associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes over the following decade. As some of these metabolites are produced by gut microbes, the findings suggest that the gut microbiome may mediate the link between sugary drinks and diabetes.
“Our study suggests a potential mechanism to explain why sugar-sweetened beverages are bad for your metabolism,” said the research team. “Although our findings are observational, they provide insights for potential diabetes prevention or management strategies using the gut microbiome.”
Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugar in American diets. In 2017 and 2018, US adults consumed an average of 34.8g of added sugar daily from beverages such as soda and sweetened fruit juice. Researchers noted that added sugars in beverages “might be more easily absorbed” and possess “a really high energy density because they’re just sugar and water.”
Previous studies in Europe and China have demonstrated that sugar-sweetened beverages alter gut microbiome composition, but this study is the first to explore whether these microbial changes impact host metabolism and diabetes risk. It is also the first to focus on the US Hispanic/Latino population, a group with high diabetes rates and high sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
Using data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which includes over 16,000 participants, the researchers assessed dietary habits, blood metabolites, and gut microbiomes. High sugary drink intake, defined as two or more per day, was linked to changes in the abundance of nine bacterial species, including four known to produce short-chain fatty acids, which are typically beneficial for glucose metabolism. Interestingly, these bacterial changes were not observed in those consuming sugar from non-beverage sources.
The researchers also identified 56 serum metabolites associated with sugary beverage intake, many of which are produced by gut bacteria. These metabolites correlated with worse metabolic traits, including higher fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, increased BMI and waist-to-hip ratios, and lower levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Notably, individuals with elevated levels of these metabolites faced a higher likelihood of developing diabetes within 10 years.
“We found that several microbiota-related metabolites are associated with the risk of diabetes,” the authors explained. “In other words, these metabolites may predict future diabetes.”
While the study could not determine whether specific gut microbes directly contribute to diabetes risk due to sample size limitations, the researchers plan to investigate this further. Future studies will aim to confirm whether these microbial metabolites mediate the relationship between sugary drinks and diabetes and explore their role in other sugar-related health conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
Reference
Zhang Y et al. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake, gut microbiota, circulating metabolites, and diabetes risk in Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Cell Metab. 2025;DOI:10.1016/j.cmet.2024.12.004.
