Diet soft drinks lead to cardiac failure

Well, they are delicious and refreshing so we knew they couldn’t be good for us. It appears that people who drink diet soft drinks on a daily basis are at an increased risk for suffering stroke, heart attack, and vascular death. However, the key might be the quantity of diet beverage and in the end moderation is key.

Naturally, as we realize we are fat, we turn to the reduced calorie or calorie free alternatives to help reduce the risks of obesity. However, the long term health consequences of this choice, regardless of the good intention, is unclear.

A team from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center looked at the relationship between both diet and regular soft drinks. They evaluated the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction and vascular death by people who drank these beverages. They found that people who drank diet drinks were 43% more likely to have experienced a vascular event than people who drank no diet soft drinks. The occasional diet soft drinker or the person who chose regular soft drinks were not more likely to suffer a heart attack or vascular event.

“Our results suggest a potential association between daily diet soft drink consumption and vascular outcomes. However the mechanisms by which soft drinks may affect vascular events are unclear. There is a need for further research before any conclusions can be drawn regarding the potential health consequences of diet soft drink consumption,” reassured Hannah Gardener from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine where the study was conducted.

Source: ScienceDaily, Journal of General Internal Medicine