Sweetened beverages could be bad for your heart, American Heart Association study finds
BOSTON - A new study finds that drinking sweetened beverages could be bad for your heart.
Sweetened drinks have been linked to Type 2 diabetes and obesity but a new study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, uncovered a possible association between these beverages and atrial fibrillation or AFib, an irregular heart rhythm that puts people at much higher risk of stroke. Researchers studied dietary data on more than 200,000 adults in the United Kingdom and found that those who reported drinking two liters or more of sugar-sweetened or artificially-sweetened drinks per week, that's about one 12-ounce drink six days a week, had a 20% higher risk of AFib compared to people who avoided these beverages.
On the other hand, people who drank one liter or less per week of unsweetened juice, such as orange juice or vegetable juice, were less likely to develop AFib.
This type of study cannot prove that sweetened beverages actually cause AFib, simply that there may be an association. But experts recommend that people cut back on or avoid sugary or artificially sweetened drinks altogether whenever possible.