A recent study suggests that consuming two liters or more per week of artificially sweetened beverages, equivalent to a medium-sized fast-food diet soda daily, increases the risk of atrial fibrillation by 20%.
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat associated with severe health risks such as strokes and heart failure.
The study, published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, analyzed data from over 202,000 individuals and found similar risks associated with added-sugar beverages, while pure, unsweetened juices showed an 8% lower risk.
Although further research is needed, experts recommend limiting or avoiding sweetened drinks and opting for water.
Atrial fibrillation is a growing concern in the US, with an estimated 12 million Americans expected to have it by 2030, largely due to factors like aging, obesity, and lifestyle choices.
While the study couldn’t definitively determine the most harmful type due to diet complexity, it recommends reducing or avoiding both artificially and sugar
-sweetened drinks.
Source: Oman News Agency