This is double the risk from regular drinks.
A recent study has unveiled concerning insights into the potential risks associated with the consumption of sweetened beverages, both artificially and naturally flavored. The research indicates that individuals who regularly consume two liters or more per week of artificially sweetened beverages, akin to roughly one medium-sized fast-food diet soda daily, face a heightened risk of atrial fibrillation (A-fib) by 20%. Similarly, those who indulge in comparable quantities of sugar-sweetened beverages experience a 10% increase in A-fib risk. Conversely, the study also suggests a potential protective effect associated with the consumption of approximately four ounces of unsweetened juices, such as orange or vegetable juice, correlating with an 8% lower risk of developing A-fib.
Penny Kris-Etherton, a respected professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University, has highlighted the significance of these findings. This study represents a groundbreaking step in linking both no- and low-calorie sweeteners, as well as sugar-sweetened beverages, to an elevated risk of A-fib. Despite limitations in establishing direct causation, the association persisted even after adjusting for genetic predispositions to the condition.
Kris-Etherton emphasized the importance of further research to validate these findings and elucidate the broader implications of sweetened beverage consumption on heart health and related conditions. In the meantime, she advocates for caution, suggesting limiting or avoiding the intake of both no- and low-calorie sweetened beverages and promoting water as a preferable alternative.
Atrial fibrillation poses a significant public health concern, being the leading cause of stroke in the United States. Strokes associated with A-fib often carry graver consequences than those resulting from other causes, potentially leading to complications such as blood clots, heart failure, and heightened risks of heart attack, dementia, and kidney disease.
Dr. Gregory Marcus, a distinguished professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, emphasized the escalating prevalence of A-fib in the population, partly attributed to the aging demographic. With an estimated 40 million individuals worldwide living with A-fib, proactive measures such as lifestyle adjustments, medication regimens, and, when necessary, surgical interventions are paramount in managing and mitigating its impact on public health.
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