Drinking Artificially Sweetened Beverages Could Boost Atrial Fibrillation Risk by 20%, Study Reveals

According to a new study, consuming at least two liters of artificially sweetened beverages a week could boost risk of atrial fibrillation by 20%.

Atrial Fibrillation

Characterized by an irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is usually described as a flip-flop, flutter, or quiver of the heart within the chest. The condition also boosts risk of heart failure, stroke, and other complications related to the heart.

In the case of atrial fibrillation, the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, irregularly and chaotically beat. They are not in sync with the beat of the ventricles, which are the lower chambers of the heart.

For several individuals, AFib may not have any symptoms. However, it can lead to a pounding and fast heartbeat, light-headedness, or shortness of breath.

Artificially Sweetened Drinks Could Increase Atrial Fibrillation Risk

According to the new "Sweetened Beverages, Genetic Susceptibility, and Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Prospective Cohort Study" study, the elevated risk was observed in comparison to those who did not drink any artificially sweetened beverages.

Moreover, drinking a similar number of beverages with added sugar boosted atrial fibrillation risk by 10%. Moreover, drinking around four ounces of unsweetened and pure juices, such as vegetable or orange juice, was linked to an 8% lower atrial fibrillation risk.

The study examined the data of almost 202,000 participating in the UK BIobank. People involved in the analysis had the age of 37 to 73 years, and over 50% of them were female.

According to the study, those who consumed higher levels of artificially sweetened drinks were more likely to be younger, female, have a heavier weight, and have a high type 2 diabetes prevalence. Those who drank beverages that were more sugar-sweetened were more likely to be younger, male, have a heavier weight, and have a higher heart disease prevalence.

Moreover, individuals who drank both pure juice and sugar-sweetened drinks had a higher likelihood of having higher total sugar intake compared to those who drank artificially sweetened beverages.

Dr. Ningjian Wang, the study's lead author and a professor from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and the Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, explains that the findings cannot definitely conclude that one type of beverage poses a higher risk due to diet complexity and due to how individuals may drink over one beverage type.

Penny Kris-Etherton, professor emeritus of nutritional sciences from the Pennsylvania State University, who was not part of the study, explains that this research is the first to report a link between low- and no-calorie sweeteners and sweetened beverages and increased atrial fibrillation risk.

Though the study could only reveal a link between AFib and sweetened drinks, the association stayed even after the researchers accounted for any genetic susceptibility towards the disease. Kris-Etherton, who is also a nutrition committee member of the American Heart Association, explains that further research on the drinks are necessary for the findings to be confirmed and for further understanding regarding the consequences on the heart and other health conditions.

Kris-Etherton explains that for now, water is the best option. Based on the study, low- and no-calorie sweetened drinks should be avoided or limited.

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