Researchers from Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute and Harvard University have found that greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas is associated with a higher risk of stroke, which is the foundation of vascular dementia. Conversely, consumption of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee was associated with a lower risk.
The study – published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – was the first to examine soda’s effect on stroke risk. Previous research has linked sugar-sweetened beverage consumption with weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout and coronary artery disease.
“Soda remains the largest source of added sugar in the diet,” said Adam Bernstein, MD, ScD, study author and Research Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute.
The research analyzed soda consumption among 43,371 men and 84,085 women, and documented 2,938 strokes in women, and 1,416 strokes in men.
In sugar-sweetened sodas, the sugar load may lead to rapid increases in blood glucose and insulin which, over time, may lead to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and inflammation. These physiologic changes influence atherosclerosis, plaque stability and thrombosis – all of which are risk factors of ischemic stroke and dementia. This risk for stroke appears higher in women than in men.
In comparison, coffee contains chlorogenic acids, lignans and magnesium, all of which act as antioxidants and may reduce stroke risk. When compared with one serving of sugar-sweetened soda, one serving of decaffeinated coffee was associated with a 10 percent lower risk of stroke.
In addition, study findings show that men and women who consumed more than one serving of sugar-sweetened soda per day had higher rates of high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol and lower physical activity rates. Those who drank soda more frequently were also more likely to eat red meat and whole-fat dairy products. Men and women who consumed low-calorie soda had a higher incidence of chronic disease and a higher body mass index (BMI). The investigators controlled for these other factors in their analysis to determine the independent association of soda consumption on stroke risk.
Dr. Bernstein said, “According to research from the USDA, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has increased dramatically in the United States over the past three decades, and it’s affecting our health.”
“These findings reiterate the importance of encouraging individuals to substitute alternate beverages for soda.”
SOURCE:
REFERENCE:
- Soda consumption and the risk of stroke in men and women,
Bernstein Adam M, de Koning Lawrence, Flint Alan J, Rexrode Kathryn M, Willett Walter C. Open Archive DOI: https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.030205
The famous brain doctor, Daniel Amen, said that coffee cuts blood flow to the brain by as much as 30 percent. It also raises cholesterol. Green tea is a more brain-healthy choice.
Don't you mean the "infamous" Daniel Amen? Try googling for "daniel amen scam" and see how many hits you get.
I'd take the word of Cleveland Clinic and Harvard experts over him, any day.
Go to "Google Scholar" and search for: coffee Alzheimer's
See what dozens of qualified researchers have to say from their studies on the subject.