Consuming a glass of watered down drink per day is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Classic sodas are also affected.
The sodas would make us lose our memories. This is in any case what suggests a study published both in the scientific journal Stroke and Alzheimer and Dementia. Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (United States) have just shown that heavy consumers of sugary drinks, especially those containing sweeteners, have a higher risk of having a stroke and dementia.
They came to this conclusion based on data from the Framingham cohort. This city not far from Boston is part of one of the largest and oldest epidemiological studies in the world. Since 1947, generations of men and women have participated in research into cholesterol and its effects on cardiovascular disease. It was from the 1980s that participants were continuously monitored to diagnose the onset of dementia.
For this work, Dr. Matthew Pase and his team at Boston University’s Department of Neurology studied nearly 2,900 people over the age of 45 to measure the incidence of stroke, and 1,500 volunteers over 60. years to assess the prevalence of dementia. During the 10 years of follow-up, the participants performed MRI scans as well as cognitive tests. Their health and diet were also scrutinized.
Eliminate sodas and diet drinks
At the end of this decade, the researchers noted 97 cases of stroke, of which the great majority was due to the obstruction of an artery, and 81 cases of dementia, including 63 cases of Alzheimer’s disease. The analysis then reveals a link between the frequency of consumption of artificially sweetened drinks and the occurrence of these serious pathologies. “Our results indicate an association between heavy soda consumption and brain atrophy, including smaller brain volume and poorer memory,” reports Dr. Matthew Pase. We have also found that drinking these drinks every day increases the risk of having a stroke and also of developing dementia by 3 ”. And the dose is low: it only takes one glass a day to see the risk of these diseases fly away.
Excess sugar has long been known to increase the risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes or obesity. The same goes for so-called diet drinks that contain sweeteners (aspartame or sucralose) rather than sugar. However, these pathologies are the bedrock of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, but also of neurodegenerative disorders.
“In view of the number of people consuming these light drinks, this work must be continued. And while we haven’t found an association between stroke or dementia and soda, that certainly doesn’t mean they’re a healthier option. We strongly recommend that people drink water rather than these sugary or watered down beverages, ”insists Dr. Pase.
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