Fructose’s effect on your liver

Fat has a lot of connotations in English, from fat cats and a fat bank account to a fat head and a fat lip, not to mention a phat beat. But it’s fatty liver disease that’s the focus today, because a study has found that fructose-containing beverages are an essential component — along with a high-fat diet — of developing fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects around 25% of American adults, and in some folks, it progresses to heart disease, stroke, dementia, gout, intestinal woes, cirrhosis and liver cancer. So here’s one more reason to ditch fructose-added beverages like sodas, ice teas, sports drinks and fruity drinks.

More COVID-19 vaccine confusion. True: The vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds is less effective in preventing infection than it is (in higher doses) in older folks. False: That means there’s no reason to have younger children vaccinated. True: Although the vaccine efficacy falls to around 12% pretty quickly, it still prevents severe disease for around half of infected kids — and that’s something you want 100% of the time.

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and AMA president Dr. Gerald Harmon are making an effort to get misinformation on COVID-19 and vaccines off social media. Let’s hope that happens. Says Dr. Harmon, “Junk science and misinformation about this virus that have proliferated on social media and sewn distrust in medicine cost us lives and drive families apart.” Until then, stick with reliable sources, like this column, the American Medical Association, the Cleveland Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Let wisdom prevail.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow.” Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@ GreatAgeReboot.com.