Dietary drinks possibly associated with cerebrovascular accidents in postmenopausal women | WV News

DALLAS – According to one study, daily consumption of several dietary drinks a day was badociated with an increased risk of stroke in postmenopausal women.

The study is one of the first to examine the badociation between artificially sweetened beverages and the risk of certain types of stroke in a large group of postmenopausal women with racial differences. The study did not prove the cause and the effect, it was an observational study.

The figures quoted in a statement from the American Heart Association indicate that compared to women who consume dietary drinks once a week or not at all, women who ate two or more daily drinks were: 23% more likely to have a stroke, 31% more likely to have a stroke caused by a clot, 29% more likely to develop heart disease and 16% more likely to die of any kind. what cause.

The release also indicates that heavy dietary drink consumption has more than doubled the risk of stroke in women without heart disease or diabetes, obese women without heart disease and diabetes, and African-American women without heart disease nor diabetes.

Researchers badyzed data on 81,714 postmenopausal women (aged 50 to 79 years at baseline) who participated in the women's health study that tracked health outcomes for an average of 11.9 years after their registration between 1993 and 1998. women reported how many times in the past three months they had consumed dietary drinks such as low-calorie colas, sodas and artificially sweetened fruit drinks. The collected data did not include information on the specific artificial sweetener contained in the beverages.

"Unfortunately, current research simply does not provide enough evidence to distinguish the effects of different low-calorie sweeteners on heart and brain health. This study adds to the evidence that limiting your consumption of dietary drinks is the most prudent thing to do for your health, "said Rachel K. Johnson, Ph.D., RD, professor of nutrition emeritus at the University of Ottawa. University of Vermont and chair of the American Heart Association's Scientific Advisory Board, low calorie sweetened beverages and cardiometabolic health.

"The American Heart Association suggests that water is the best choice for a drink without calories. However, for some adults, diet drinks with low-calorie sweeteners may be helpful when they use water as the main drink. Since data from long-term clinical trials on the effects of low-calorie sweet drinks and cardiovascular health are not available, given their low nutritional value, it may be prudent to limit their prolonged use, "said Johnson .