Sugary Drinks Linked to Stroke Risk: Study Findings - Essay Sample

Introduction

Sugar-sweetened drinks are connected to cardio-metabolic diseases which might intensify the risks such as dementia and stroke. Findings illustrate that artificially-sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages are linked with increased risks of stroke. Ingestion of soft drinks has increased in the past few years. With the increased ingestion of sugar-sweetened beverages, it has been proven that increased amounts of soft drinks are detrimental to a person's health. Pase et al ., (2017) conducted a cohort study in the article titled 'artificially and sugar-sweetened drinks and the dangers of incident dementia and stroke' the study aimed to understand the connection between sugar-contained beverages with the increase in the dangers of dementia and stroke. The study focused on two sugary drinks with various consumption process. The participants were allowed to take non-carbonated beverages with high sugar contents or artificially-sweetened drinks in an accumulative consumption pattern or a regular consumption pattern; the participants were then examined (Pulsinelli et al., 2013).

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Discussion

Sugars are types of carbohydrates. It is proven that the intake of sugary food produces euphoric endorphins which can assist in boosting a person's mood, and thus they provide an impermanent hyper feeling in human beings. Sugar consumption is very significant as it is useful in energy provision to support a person's daily activities. However, excessive intake of sugary substances can also increase the dangers to some physical health issues such as obesity, nutrient deficiencies, heart diseases, and even cardio-metabolic diseases. Therefore, the intake of sugary substances enhances a person's emotional health. However, excessive consumption of the sugars might result in various health complications (Quinn, Dawson, & Walters, 2011).

Results

Excessive Consumption of Artificially Sweetened Beverages With the Increased Dangers of Stroke

From the cohort study, a more significant percentage of participants in a recent intake of artificially-sweetened drinks was linked to an increase in the dangers of stroke. More significant associations were seen to be with the risk of ischemic stroke. Increasing consumption of artificially-sweetened beverages was also linked with the increase in the dangers of ischemic stroke. However, neither the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages nor total sugary drinks were linked to the dangers of stroke (Quinn, Dawson, & Walters, 2011).

Hypertension was a possible intermediary of the connection between the ingestion of artificially-sweetened beverages and increased risk of all-stroke apart from ischemic stroke. After the adjustment of covariates such as age, gender, and total caloric consumption and eliminating individuals with hypertension, the connection between incident all-stroke and ingesting artificially-sweetened drinks was lessened. That is, 0 per week, Pase et al., (2017); >0-6 per week: HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 0.58-4.02; 1 per day: HR, 1.43; N/events, 23/1456; 95% CI, 0.40-5.11) (Pase et al., 2017).

Excessive Consumption of Artificially Sweetened Beverages With the Increased Dangers of Dementia

When analyzing the cumulative beverage intake pattern, daily consumption of artificially-softened beverages was linked with an augmented risk of both AD dementia and all-cause dementia. However, the associations lost their significance after the adjustment of the covariates such as sex, age, maximum caloric ingestion, the prevalence in cardiovascular diseases, and arterial fibrillation (Quinn, Dawson, & Walters, 2011). On analyzing the recent beverage consumption, regular intake of artificially-sweetened drinks was linked with an increased danger of AD dementia. Neither the drinking of sugar-sweetened beverages nor total sugary drinks were connected with the dangers of dementia (Pulsinelli et al., 2013).

Diabetes mellitus was found to be a prospective intermediary of the connection between consumption of artificially-sweetened drinks and the increased danger of both AD dementia and all-cause dementia. From the study of Pase et al., (2017) the results illustrate that, regular consumption of artificially-sweetened drinks remained as an essential prognosticator of both AD dementia (HR, 3.23; N/events, 40/1148; 95% CI, 1.22-8.52) and all-cause dementia (HR, 2.45; N/events, 53/1148; 95% CI, 1.07-5.59). Therefore, diabetes mellitus is a partial mediator and not a full intermediary of the connection between consumption of artificially-sweetened drinks and increased risks of incident dementia (Pase et al., 2017).

Analysis of Results

In the cohort study, increased ingestion of artificially-sweetened drinks was linked with an augmented risk of both dementia and stroke. Neither the drinking of sugar-sweetened beverages nor total sugary drinks were linked with the dangers of dementia or stroke. The Health Professionals' and Nurses' Health Study documented that high intake of artificially-sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages was connected with increased dangers of stroke for women above twenty-eight years (N=84 085) and men above twenty-two years (N=43 371). In a cohort study conducted in Northern Manhattan with a total of 2564 participants, it was reported that regular ingestion of artificially-sweetened drinks was linked with increased dangers of common vascular issues (Pulsinelli et al., 2013). The analyzed article's cohort study provides evidence that associate intake of artificially-sweetened drinks with the danger of stroke, especially ischemic stroke.

Conclusion

Pase et al., (2017) reported that consumption of artificially-sweetened beverages but not intake of sugar-sweetened drinks was connected with the increase of dangers of dementia and stroke. Artificially-sweetened drinks are usually sugared with sweeteners that are non-nutritive such as sucralose, saccharin, neotame, aspartame and acesulfame (Pase et al., 2017). When used collectively, they have a high potential of generating sweetness sensations even when used in minimal amounts. Original researches associating negative health outcomes and ingestion of artificially-sweetened drinks have been criticized based on matters concerning reverse causality and residual confounding. Pase et al., (2017) revealed that diabetes mellitus which is a risk for dementia prevailed among individuals who regularly ingested artificially-sweetened beverages. However, since the research was observational, it was challenging to identify if the intake of artificially-sweetened drinks augmented the danger of incident dementia via diabetes mellitus or if individuals suffering from diabetes mellitus were just more expected to ingest the diet beverages (Quinn, Dawson, & Walters, 2011).

References

Pase, M. P., Himali, J. J., Beiser, A. S., Aparicio, H. J., Satizabal, C. L., Vasan, R. S., ... & Jacques, P. F. (2017). Sugar-and artificially sweetened beverages and the risks of incident stroke and dementia: a prospective cohort study. Stroke, 48(5), 1139-1146.

Pulsinelli, W. A., Levy, D. E., Sigsbee, B., Scherer, P., & Plum, F. (2013). Increased damage after ischemic stroke in patients with hyperglycemia with or without established diabetes mellitus. The American journal of medicine, 74(4), 540-544.

Quinn, T. J., Dawson, J., & Walters, M. R. (2011). Sugar and stroke: cerebrovascular disease and blood glucose control. Cardiovascular Therapeutics, 29(6), e31-e42.