A leading heart doctor has revealed the common type of drink that he will never consume again.
US-based cardiologist Dr. Dmitry Yaranov has earned a legion of followers on TikTok and Instagram for often sharing the advice on staying healthy and protecting your heart from his years of experience.
Recently, he went viral after he spoke out about the popular beverages he refuses to touch.
'After years in cardiology, this is why I don't touch "diet" drinks anymore,' he wrote in a video that has now been viewed more than one million times.
'The biggest lie in your fridge? "Zero sugar,"' he added in the caption.
'You've been told diet sodas are the healthier choice - the "better" option when you're watching your weight or your blood sugar. But new data say otherwise.'
Yaranov went on to explain that a new study found that 'people who drink diet or zero-sugar beverages daily have a higher risk of liver disease than those drinking sugary ones.'
'Let that sink in - the fake sugar hit harder than the real thing,' he continued.
'Artificial sweeteners appear to alter gut metabolism and liver fat handling, leading to a [roughly] 60 percent higher risk of metabolic liver disease.'
'Sugary drinks? About 50 percent. Water? Safest by far. So next time you reach for that "zero guilt" can - remember: "zero sugar" doesn't mean zero impact. Your liver can tell the difference.'
The study he was referring to was presented at UEG Week 2025 last month, which followed 123,788 UK Biobank participants without liver disease at baseline.
'Beverage consumption was assessed using repeated 24-hour dietary questionnaires,' reads a report.
'Researchers examined the associations between sugar-sweetened beverages and low- or non-sugar-sweetened beverages intake and the risks of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, liver fat accumulation and liver-related mortality.'
Yaranov previously went viral after he shared the stark warning about the misconceptions of being healthy and young on Instagram.
He explained that looking 'shredded' on the outside doesn't guarantee good health.
'[One patient I'm treating] looks like a statue. Shredded. Vascular. Peak performance. But I've seen what's inside those vessels - and it's not pretty,' he said.
Recently, he went viral after he spoke out about the popular beverages he refuses to touch: any 'diet' drink (stock image)
According to Dr. Yaranov, years of extreme 'high protein' fads - like the carnivore diet, which cuts out most plant foods in favor of meat, eggs, and animal products - can wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system.
'Sky-high LDL, endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, premature atherosclerosis,' he wrote.
In simple terms, that means bad cholesterol soaring to dangerous levels, damage to the lining of blood vessels, ongoing irritation inside the body, and the early development of fatty plaques that clog arteries.
'The body outside looks like a machine. But the inside tells a different story,' he said.
'I've cared for "fit" 35-year-olds with heart attacks. No symptoms. No warning. Just a ticking time bomb.
'Athletic does not mean healthy. Low body fat does not mean low risk. And a six-pack doesn't protect you from a plaque rupture.'