The risk of drinking diet soft drinks

The study reviewed investigated the association between soft drinks and stroke, myocardial infarction and vascular death (Gardener H, et al. 2012). The participants were 2,564 men with an average age of 69 and the follow up was 10 years.

The researchers took into consideration age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, BMI (body mass index), daily calories, consumption of protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium.

The results showed that the participants who drank diet soft drinks daily compared to those who never drank them had an increased risk of stroke, myocardial infarction and vascular death. This association persisted also after controlling further for the metabolic syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, cardiac disease, hypertension and high cholesterol.

If you want to drink something cold, water is the best, and if you want something sparkly have carbonated water.

Gardener H, Rundek T, Markert M, Wright CB, Elkind MS, Sacco RL. Diet Soft Drink Consumption is Associated with an Increased Risk of Vascular Events in the Northern Manhattan Study. J Gen Intern Med. 2012 Jan 27.