We often talk about the difference between correlation and causation. Correlation means two things are linked. Causation means one thing causes another. A new study has found a correlation between drinking a high amount of artificially sweetened drinks and suffering from atrial fibrillation (AFib).
A study looked at 200,000 people’s health data from 2006 to 2010. The people were between the ages of 37 and 73. They found that drinking two liters or more of artificially sweetened drinks a week was linked to a 20 percent higher risk of AFib. The risk was an additional 10 percent higher if a person drank two liters of sugar-sweetened drinks.
The study found that people who drank high amounts of artificially sweetened or sugary drinks were likely to have a high body mass index. Women were more likely to artificially sweetened drinks while men tended to drink sugary ones.
Common sense tells us, right off the bat, that larger people might be more at risk for a heart problem. They may also be more likely to reach for a diet soda to cut out calories. So, this connection could be just a link. However, the researchers did control for “any genetic susceptibility” to rule out baseline biology.
The study’s author Dr. Ningjian Wang said, “Our study’s findings cannot definitively conclude that one beverage poses more health risk than another due to the complexity of our diets and because some people may drink more than one type of beverage. However, based on these findings, we recommend that people reduce or even avoid artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages whenever possible.”
As you know, we talk about hydration a lot. We always recommend reaching for water first. It’s calorie-free and refreshing. We have written extensively about the benefits of many teas in the past. Teas don’t just help you avoid sugar spikes: they can help your blood sugar! Plus, we have had many recipe blogs of drink recipes to help you avoid sodas. Putting sliced fruit in water infuses water with flavor without adding a ton of sugar to your diet like fruit juice does.
Drinking two liters of soda may sound like a lot, but that’s only six cans of Diet Coke. That’s easy to fit into your week. This study isn’t conclusive, but it is concerning. AFib is the leading cause of strokes in the U.S.
Prof. Penny Kris-Etherton of Penn State Univ. said this is the first study to find a link between diet sodas and a higher risk of AFib. Past research saw links between sugary drinks and AFib. She did not participate in the study but has reviewed the findings.
“We still need more research on these beverages to confirm these findings and to fully understand all the health consequences on heart disease and other health conditions,” said Prof. Kris-Etherton. “In the meantime, water is the best choice, and, based on this study, no- and low-calorie sweetened beverages should be limited or avoided.”
