Drinking Soda May Increase Stroke Risk
A new study suggests that drinking soda may increase the risk for stroke in both men and women.
A stroke is much like what a heart attack is to the heart, but to the brain. A stroke involves the sudden interruption of blood flow and oxygen to areas in the brain and can cause brain damage and loss of function. Stroke develops suddenly, usually in a matter of minutes, and causes symptoms such as paralysis, numbness or weakness often affecting one side of the body, confusion, dizziness, speech problems and loss of vision. How a stroke patient is affected depends on where the stroke occurs in the brain and how much the brain is damaged.
In a new study, researchers analyzed data on 84,085 women throughout a 28-year follow-up period and 43,371 men throughout a 22-year follow-up period to assess to potential association between soda consumption and stroke risk.
A total of 4,354 strokes were identified. The researchers found that when compared to drinking no soda at all, drinking at least one serving of sweetened or low-calorie soda daily was linked to a 16 percent increased risk of stroke in both men and women. Conversely, when compared to one daily serving of soda, drinking one daily serving of decaffeinated coffee was linked to a 10 percent decreased risk for stroke. Drinking one serving of caffeinated coffee was linked to a nine percent decreased risk.
The authors concluded that drinking soda may increase the risk for stroke. Replacing soda with coffee may reduce this risk; however, further research is necessary.
For more information about stroke risk factors, please visit Natural Standard's Medical Conditions Database.
References
- Bernstein AM, de Koning L, Flint AJ, et al. Soda consumption and the risk of stroke in men and women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 May;95(5):1190-9. View Abstract
- Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com