Do Sweeteners Increase The Risk of Stroke?

Many prefer to take diet soda rather than “normal” soda. Now a new study has shown the sweeteners in diet soda can be far more dangerous than sugar.

Those who don’t to do without soft drinks often prefer the light versions of soda or cola. The reason: these diet versions contain sweeteners instead of sugar, which has been shown to have a negative impact on our health. However, as a study published in the Stroke magazine now shows, sweeteners such as aspartame and the like are not necessarily healthier than sugar.

Sweeteners increase the risk of strokes

As the doctors from Boston found out, there is a statistical correlation between the consumption of sweeteners and an increased risk of stroke. Data from 3,000 people were collected and evaluated over a period of ten years (from 1991 to 2001). 97 people suffered a stroke during this period. The researchers noticed that people who took more than three drinks a week containing sweeteners had a three times higher risk of stroke. Whether these light versions of the soft drinks are also the reason for this, however, will have to be shown in a future study.

The connection between the consumption of dietary beverages and an increased risk of stroke and diabetes was also recently identified by the American Heart Association. Although they could not prove a cause-and-effect principle, they were able to demonstrate a clear (also statistical) correlation between sweeteners and diseases.