The team examined the effect of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) on the health of adults over the age of 45 for an extended period. About three thousand participants took part in this study. The team measured their daily beverage consumption via the food-frequency questionnaire for ten years
The Boston researchers’ result showed that people who drank a minimum of one diet soda a day had two times the risk of stroke compared to the group who did not drink the beverage.
Upon further analysis, the team also found that the diet soda drinkers had a three-times increased risk of experiencing an ischemic stroke attack.
The scientists behind this study noted that their findings add to the growing evidence that suggests ASBs significantly increases a person’s risk of stroke especially ischemic stroke.
The team analyzed about 1,500 people over the age of 60 for the effect of diet soda consumption on dementia. The result shows that drinking even one soda a day can increase a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
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The team also pointed out that this study was the first of its kind to show a strong correlation between drinking diet soda and dementia caused by Alzheimer’s and other forms of the disease. They also explained that more research needs to be done to help experts understand the causal link of diet soda.
Ralph Sacco, former president of AHA, commented that the result of this study is of great concern because diet soda is marketed as a healthier alternative to sugary beverages. And Sacco also said there is a growing number of studies that shows that despite popular belief both sugary and artificially sweetened drinks could harm the brain.
He explains further that major governing bodies such as the AHA have approved the replacement of sugar with artificial sweeteners to manage diabetes, high blood sugar, and other metabolic syndromes without fully understanding the health effects.
