Consuming sugary drinks increases the risk of hypertension, according to an American study. For now, researchers are unable to provide an explanation for this link.
Alcohol should be drunk in moderation, but sugary drinks too. Studies show that sodas and fruit juices make you fat and increase your risk of cardiovascular problems. Health authorities therefore recommend not to consume too much, especially when you are overweight or obese. While soda can actually make some weight problems worse, it can also increase the risk of high blood pressure in heavy soda drinkers as well as young people. This is what an American study published in The American Journal of Cardiology.
87% more risk in young people
Dr Aaqib Habib Malik, of Griffin Hospital in Connecticut, and his team decided to cross-reference the results of 12 studies, with more than 400,000 patients aged 12 years and over, examining the effects of the consumption of sugary drinks on the body. arterial pressure.
When they looked at young people, scientists discovered staggering numbers. A teenager who consumes at least three sugary drinks a day has an 87% higher risk of developing hypertension than a teenager who does not drink any at all. In light of these results, Dr Malik believes that “restrictions on sugary drinks should be incorporated into the recommendations for patients with hypertension. “
Great risks in adults
Through its study, Dr. Malik’s team also looked at the influence of sugary drinks on the blood pressure of adults. An adult who drinks at least one sugary drink a day has a 26-70% higher risk of developing high blood pressure than a person who does not consume any soda. The study also reveals that among the drinkers of sugary drinks, about 40% of them suffered from hypertension.
These figures show that there is a link between heavy consumption of sugary drinks and the risk of hypertension.
Salt in sugary drinks, a possible explanation
According to Dr. Malik, this link between sugary drinks and hypertension could be explained by a drop in the levels of nitric oxide in the body and thus shrink the size of the blood vessels. This narrowing would increase blood pressure significantly. Dr Malik admits, these are just assumptions. It also evokes the influence of salt present in the composition of certain sugary drinks. Numerous studies show that overconsumption of sodium directly influences blood pressure.
A researcher, Carolyn Dean, reacted to this study and came up with her own hypothesis. The consumption of sugary drinks requires that a lot of magnesium be used to absorb the molecules of sucrose and fructose, sugar molecules that are very present in these drinks. For her, this magnesium deficiency could contribute to hypertension because magnesium relaxes the “muscles” of the blood vessels. Without this relaxation, the vessels shrink and blood pressure rises.
Studies will be needed to prove how sugary drinks act directly on hypertension. Without this, the health authorities will not be able to issue recommendations.
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