Bad news for your brain: artificially sweetened drinks increase the risk of stroke and dementia

Have you ever wondered if artificially sweetened sodas are bad? You might think they're better than those sweetened with sugar, but science shows you're wrong. There are more and more reasons to avoid all types of carbonated drinks, as artificially sweetened drinks increase the risk of stroke and dementia. In other words, such drinks damage your brain. Researchers from Boston University analyzed the data and announced that artificially sweetened sodas almost tripled the chances of stroke and dementia.

And sugary sodas? They are not good either, as we will soon see by analyzing the more recent studies that have been published.

 

A STUDY OF 3000 ADULTS

Scientists studied the habits of almost 3,000 adults who used artificially sweetened carbonated drinks and came up with frightening results! When it comes to stroke in people over 45 and dementia in people over 60, regular use of artificially sweetened carbonated drinks has been shown to nearly triple the risk of stroke or dementia. This proved to be true even after other risk factors were taken into account, such as overeating, food quality, exercise and smoking[1].

"These studies are not perfect, but the data are convincing and testify strongly. It seems that there are fewer and fewer reasons to use sweetened beverages and that artificial sweeteners do not bring any benefit. Maybe good old water is just what we should get used to," said Dr. Sudha Seshadri, lead author of the study, professor of neurology and member of the Boston University Alzheimer's Center Faculty Council.[2]

But researchers from the University of Boston did not stop there: they also investigated the impact of ordinary carbonated drinks on our health - it turned out that sugar-sweetened drinks were not associated with stroke and dementia, but this type of drink caused other health problems.

Whether it's regular sugar or high fructose corn syrup, the science is clear. Scandals related to the sugar industry in the 1950s and 1960s triggered a 'food disaster'. Flawed and incomplete scientific studies funded by the sugar industry have influenced the public and misled people that fat, not sugar, is the real enemy of our health.

Today we know that healthy fats are essential for good health. However, many still drink carbonated drinks. Excessive use of sugar is a well-known trigger for heart disease and it does a lot of damage to our metabolism. But Boston scientists wanted to find out how sweetened carbonated drinks, so-called 'soft drinks' and sweetened fruit juices affect the human brain.

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cognitive tests and existing data, it was discovered that consumption of more than two sweetened drinks per day, or more than three carbonated drinks, leads to reduced brain volume. It is about the fact that the brain really 'shrinks', reduces its volume, and thus the hippocampus also shrinks. In addition, the brain ages faster and memory weakens - these are all risk factors for the early stage of Alzheimer's disease. Even just one artificially sweetened soda per day appeared to decrease brain volume.[3]

 

Other phenomena associated with artificially sweetened carbonated beverages

Boston University published the first, i.e. major, link between artificially sweetened sodas and dementia, but there is a long list of other health disorders linked to these drinks:

• depression - four or more cans of that drink is associated with a 30% higher risk for depression[4]
• Kidney damage - long-term use of artificially sweetened carbonated beverages is associated with 30% poorer kidney function[5]
• Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome - regular use of artificially sweetened carbonated drinks increases your risk for metabolic syndrome by 36%; in addition, it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes for 67% compared to non-drinkers[6].

 Healthier drinks instead of carbonated:

 Why drink something that shortens your life? Try the following instead:

• It's time for tea - tea leaves Ginko (Ginkgo biloba) can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 86%!
• Practice a healthy lifestyle (vegetarian diet, physical activity, clean water, regular and proper sleep....

Conclusion:

• Regular use of artificially sweetened carbonated drinks triples your risk of stroke and dementia;
• Just one artificially sweetened carbonated drink a day reduces the volume of your brain;
• Regular use of sugar-sweetened sodas shrinks your hippocampus, your brain ages rapidly and your memory weakens. These are all early signs of risk for Alzheimer's disease.
• Instead of carbonated drinks, drink herbal teas, we recommend Ginko, which can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease up to 86%.

[1] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.016027

[2] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170420162254.htm

[3] https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15525279

[4] https://www.newswise.com/ee/blog/entry/diet-soda-linked-to-depression-coffee-tied-to-lower-risk/

[5] https://www.kidney.org/news/kidneyCare/spring10/DietSoda

[6] https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/32/4/688