Recent news headlines announced a study linking diet soda pop to an increased risk of stroke. What is a stroke? What link was found between drinking diet soda and the risk of stroke? Should one stop drinking soda pop?
Stroke, a Cerebrovascular Accident
As Pub Med explains in "Stroke," "a stroke is an interruption of the blood supply" to the brain. Whether an artery is blocked by a clot or a clog, or a tear opens and bleeds, part of the brain is damaged by the interruption of the blood supply.
The Pub Med article goes on to list the greatest risk factors: high blood pressure; atrial fibrillation (bad heart rhythm) or other heart disease; diabetes; high cholesterol levels; increasing age; and family history of stroke. Some medications and recreational drugs also increase the risk of stroke.
Their advice to reduce the risk of stroke includes a varied, low-fat diet with low alcohol intake; regular daily exercise of one-half hour to 90 minutes; quitting smoking; and medical checkups coupled with following doctor's orders.
The Report Found a Link Between Diet Soda and the Risk of Stroke
Hannah Gardener of the University of the Miami Miller School of Medicine presented a paper to the International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles in February of 2011. Her multi-year study of 2,500 individuals found a statistical link between drinking diet soft drinks and risk of stroke.
The link was that people who, at the start of the study, reported that they drink at least one can of diet soda a day, had a 61% higher risk of suffering a stroke over the years. The study found no link between regular sugary soda pop and stroke.
The study tried to control for a number of variables, such as weight, smoking, physical activity and age. These are all known and recognized as risk factors for stroke.
Presumably because the study was not originally intended to find a relationship between diet pop and the risk of stroke, it left room for criticism and doubt.
Attacks on the Diet Soda Report
Well-balanced concerns were expressed, noting that the study did not follow the actual, ongoing consumption of diet soda throughout the study period. Another criticism is that those choosing to drink diet soda may have been struggling with obesity, a well-known risk factor.
The study received fair criticism as being a preliminary report. Since it was a presentation, it had not gone through peer review and the standard publication process.
Yet another criticism noted in the National Post was that the study did not correlate ethnic background and age in its results on drinking diet soda. With a majority of Hispanic or African Americans, average age of 69, perhaps the choice of diet beverage was an anomaly. (In this author's opinion, that criticism sounds like "It might not be a problem for those of us with a European heritage"; hopefully it was more well-intended that it seems.)
With no obvious biological mechanism to explain the statistical result, this study does require further research. At first it would seem unlikely that the artificial sweetener is to blame; that should have been determined long ago.
As with most modern science, there is always the possibility that any study or any criticism of a study stems as much from vested interest as from pure science. With diet soda's economic importance and market penetration, the industry is likely to fund new studies in hopes of different results.
The Best Approach for Reducing the Risk of Stroke
As noted in another article, both energy drinks and regular soda pop provide some 100 to 200 calories along with caffeine in each serving. A 138-pound woman only needs to run one mile to burn off those calories. Otherwise, just two or three dozen cans of soda pop can add a pound to a person's weight.
The Pub Med approach is very sound: maintain a healthy weight, exercise, do not smoke, eat wisely, obtain and follow your doctor's advice. Following this program reduces an individual's risk of stroke.
Switching from diet to regular soda seems a very poor choice. That adds a known factor for increasing one's weight, which has known risks for a variety of ailments.
However, the study's bottom line seems clear. It found a statistical link between drinking diet soda pop and increased risk of stroke. A person may choose to wait a decade for some more studies, not knowing what those studies may reveal. Or a person may choose other low-calorie beverages most of the time, and still be confident that an occasional diet soda is not a quick poison.
Is diet soda bad for one's health? Yes, it is linked to stroke; maybe, since this is only an unproven statistical link; no, it is better than gaining weight on sweetened soda pop.
Sources
- Jennifer Sygo, National Post (The Province), " Is diet pop really hazardous for the heart?," published March 1, 2011, referenced April 14, 2011.
- Kathleen Doheny, Business Week, "Can Diet Soda Boost Your Stroke Risk?," published Feb. 9, 2011, referenced April 14, 2011.
- Pub Med Health, "Stroke", reviewed June 15, 2010, referenced April 14, 2011.
- Atomic5, "Diet Coke and Stroke Link Study Refuted by Nutrition and Science Experts," referenced April 14, 2011.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Mike DeHaan - Copyright (c) Mike DeHaan, B. Math., of DeHaan Services. Well written and well researched freelance articles; ghost writing for clients.
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