Sugary Soft Drinks Supersize Your Chances Of Stroke

Americans are hooked on soft drinks, downing an astounding 216 liters per person, per year. Unfortunately, all those bubbly supersized sweet drinks could have us leading the world in the number of strokes per person if we don’t get those straws out of our mouths.

A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas is associated with a higher risk of stroke.

The research demonstrates that the sugar load you ingest when drinking sugar-sweetened soda leads to rapid increase in blood glucose and insulin which, over time, may lead to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and inflammation. These physiologic changes impact atherosclerosis, plaque stability and thrombosis — the top three risk factors for ischemic stroke.

“Soda remains the largest source of added sugar in the diet,” says Adam Bernstein, M.D., Sc.D., study author and Research Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute. “What we’re beginning to understand is that regular intake of these beverages sets off a chain reaction in the body that can potentially lead to many diseases — including stroke.”

This most recent study was conducted by researchers from the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute and Harvard University. On the other hand, if you drink coffee that may lower your risk of stroke.