Research highlights:

• An analysis of UK Biobank health data found that among people who said they drank more than 2 liters (about 67 oz) of artificially sweetened drinks a week, irregular heart rhythms known as atrial fibrillation were more likely to occur. The risk was found to be 20% higher. Those who said they drank the same amount of sugary drinks had a 10% higher risk.
• Researchers found that drinking less than 1 liter (about 34 ounces) of pure juice, such as 100% orange juice or vegetable juice, per week reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation by 8%.
• This observational study did not confirm that sugary drinks caused irregular heart rhythms.

Embargoed until Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 4:00 a.m. Central Time/5:00 a.m. Eastern Time

DALLAS, March 5, 2024 — Adults who reported drinking 2 liters (approximately 67 ounces) or more of sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages per week were more likely than adults who reported drinking less of such beverages. , had an increased risk of an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation, according to a new study published today. Circulation: Arrhythmia and electrophysiologya peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

The study also found that drinking less than 1 liter (about 34 ounces) of pure, unsweetened juices, such as orange juice or vegetable juice, per week reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation (AFib). However, the study could not confirm whether sweetened drinks caused atrial fibrillation, but the link remained even after accounting for a person’s genetic susceptibility.

Previous studies have found that sugary drink consumption is associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity. This large-scale study of health data in the UK Biobank is one of the first to assess the possible link between sugary or artificially sweetened drinks and atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the heart beats irregularly, increasing your risk of stroke five times. More than 12 million people are expected to have AFib by 2030, according to the American Heart Association’s 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.

“Our findings clearly conclude that some beverages pose a greater health risk than others because of the complexity of our diets, and because some people may drink multiple types of beverages.” “We cannot do that,” said study lead author Ning Jianwang, MD, Ph.D. , a researcher at Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China. “However, based on these findings, we recommend that people reduce or even avoid artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages as much as possible. Low-sugar, low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages Don’t take for granted that drinking is healthy; it may pose potential health risks.”

Researchers looked at dietary questionnaire data and genetic data from more than 200,000 adults who did not have AFib at the time they entered the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010. During nearly 10 years of follow-up, there were 9,362 cases of AFib among adults. Research participants.

The analysis revealed the following:

• Atrial fibrillation was lower among people who reported drinking 2 liters or more (approximately 67 ounces or more, or approximately one 12-ounce drink every 6 days) per week compared with those who never consumed sugary drinks. increased risk by 20%. week) Artificially sweetened beverages. And participants who reported drinking more than 2 liters of sugary drinks per week had a 10% increased risk.
• People who said they drank 1 liter (about 34 ounces) or less of pure fruit juice each week had an 8% lower risk of atrial fibrillation.
• Participants who consumed more artificially sweetened beverages were more likely to be female, younger, have a higher body mass index (BMI), and have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes.
• Participants who consumed more sugar-sweetened beverages were more likely to be male, younger, have a higher body mass index, higher prevalence of heart disease, and lower socio-economic status.
• Those who drank sugar-sweetened beverages and pure juices tended to have higher total sugar intake than those who drank artificially sweetened beverages.
• Smoking may also influence risk, with smokers who drank more than 2 liters of sugary drinks a week had a 31% higher risk of atrial fibrillation, but ex-smokers and those who had never smoked had a 31% higher risk of atrial fibrillation. No significant increase was observed.

“These new findings about the relationship between atrial fibrillation risk and beverages with added sugar or artificial sweeteners, as well as pure juices, suggest that considering cutting back on sugary drinks to improve heart health may be a good idea. This may prompt the development of new prevention strategies,” Wang said.

The researchers also assessed whether genetic susceptibility to AFib was an associated factor with sweetened beverage consumption. The analysis found that consuming two or more liters of artificially sweetened beverages per week was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, regardless of genetic susceptibility.

“The mechanism linking sweetened beverages and atrial fibrillation risk is not yet clear, but there are several possible explanations, including insulin resistance and the body’s response to different sweeteners,” Wang said. “Artificial sweeteners found in foods and beverages primarily include sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame.”

The American Heart Association’s 2018 scientific recommendations noted a lack of large, long-term randomized trials on the effectiveness and safety of artificial sweeteners. The writing group recommended that children avoid consuming low-calorie sweetened beverages for long periods of time. However, for adults who habitually consume large amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages may be a useful alternative strategy to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, the researchers noted.

“Considering that 2 liters of artificially sweetened beverages per week is equivalent to about one 12-oz. These findings regarding sweetened beverages are surprising.” Diet soda a day. ”

Chris Etherton, professor emeritus of nutritional science at Penn State University, is a co-author of the association’s scientific recommendations on artificial sweeteners.

“This is the first study to report an association between zero-calorie and low-calorie sweeteners, as well as sugar-sweetened beverages, and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation,” she said. “While there is strong evidence about the negative effects of sugary drinks and the risk of cardiovascular disease, there is less evidence about the negative health effects of artificial sweeteners.

“More research is needed on these beverages to confirm these findings and fully understand their health effects on heart disease and other health conditions. In the meantime, water is your best choice. , based on this study, non-caloric or low-calorie sweetened beverages should be limited or avoided.”

The American Heart Association’s 2016 Dietary Guidelines are consistent with the USDA’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest minimizing intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. They also note the lack of clear evidence about the role of non- and low-calorie sweeteners on many health outcomes. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweet teas, and coffee drinks. Healthy drink options include water and nonfat or low-fat milk, but unsweetened fresh, frozen, or packaged fruit juices are recommended instead of sugar-sweetened fruit juices. I am. Half a cup of pure juice (such as orange juice or grapefruit juice) is considered his one serving of fruit.

Research background and details:

• The UK Biobank is a large biomedical database containing the health records of approximately 500,000 registered adults living in the UK and receiving medical care through the UK National Health Service from 2006 to 2010.
• Data were reviewed from 201,856 UK Biobank participants aged 37 to 73 years, 45% of whom were male.
• Participants were followed for an average of nearly 10 years.
• Blood samples were collected to measure genetic risk for AFib, and participants completed over 24 hours of dietary questionnaires five times between April 2009 and June 2012.

Limitations of this study include that the findings are observational and cannot prove a causal relationship between consumption of specific types of beverages and atrial fibrillation risk. Additionally, the findings depended on participants recalling their own meals, so there may have been misremembering or bias. It is also unclear whether sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages contain caffeine.

Co-authors, disclosure information, and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

The study, published in the scientific journal of the American Heart Association, is peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely the opinions of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the Society. The Association makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or reliability. The association is primarily funded by individuals. Foundations and corporations (including pharmaceuticals, device manufacturers, and other companies) also make contributions, which help fund specific programs and events for the association. The Society has strict policies in place to ensure that these relationships do not influence scientific content. Revenues from pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, device manufacturers, health insurance companies, and the association’s overall financial information can be found here.

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