A new study suggests that drinking diet drinks is associated with an increased risk of having a stroke among post-menopausal women, researchers say. The stroke is caused by a blocked artery, especially small arteries. The study, published in the journal Stroke showed that in comparison to women who consumed diet drinks less than once a week or not at all, women who consumed two or more artificially sweetened beverages per day were 23% more likely to have a stroke, 31% more likely to have ischemic stroke, and 29% were at risk of developing heart disease (fatal or non-fatal heart attack). In addition to this, there was a 16% risk of deaths from any cause.
For the study, researchers included 81,714 post-menopausal women aged 50-79 years. “Many well-meaning people, especially those who are overweight or obese, drink low-calorie sweetened drinks to cut calories in their diet. Our research and other observational studies have shown that artificially-sweetened beverages may not be harmless and high consumption is associated with a higher risk of stroke and heart disease”, said the lead author Yasmin Mossavar-Rahmani who is an Associate Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the US.
“The American Heart Association suggests water as the best choice for a no-calorie beverage”, suggestes Rachel K. Johnson, Professor at the University of Vermont in the US.