Diet and Sugary Drinks Linked to Higher Atrial Fibrillation Risk, Study Shows

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• Frequently drinking sugary or diet drinks may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), a potentially dangerous heart condition.

• People who drank more than two liters of artificially sweetened or sugar-sweetened beverages each week had a 20% and 10% higher risk of A-Fib, respectively, compared to those who didn't.

• Though more research is needed, experts suggest people reduce or potentially avoid artificially sweetened or sugar-sweetened drinks.
  

People who frequently drink beverages made with sugar or artificial sweeteners could carry a higher risk of a potentially dangerous heart condition, new research shows.

The findings come from a study, published March 5 in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, which found a link between these sweetened beverages and atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), an irregular heart rhythm that can increase a person’s risk of stroke and heart failure.

People who frequently drank artificially sweetened drinks, like those containing sucralose or aspartame, had a 20% higher risk of A-Fib compared to those who didn’t consume any such beverages. Those who drank beverages made with sugar had a 10% higher risk.

Meanwhile, people who said they occasionally drank pure fruit juice—less than one liter a week—had an 8% lower risk of A-Fib.

“Our study’s findings cannot definitively conclude that one beverage poses more health risk than another due to the complexity of our diets and because some people may drink more than one type of beverage,” lead study author Ningjian Wang, MD, PhD, a researcher at the Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China, said in a press release.

“However, based on these findings, we recommend that people reduce or even avoid artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages whenever possible,” Wang added. “Do not take it for granted that drinking low-sugar and low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages is healthy, it may pose potential health risks.”

Here’s what you need to know about the new research, and how it might influence your beverage choices.

Sugary and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and A-Fib Risk

For the study, Wang and his Shanghai-based team of researchers reviewed answers from dietary questionnaires and genetic data from more than 200,000 adults enrolled in the U.K. Biobank, a large biomedical database and research resource.

At the time participants enrolled in the research, between 2006 and 2010, they were free from A-Fib. But over the course of a 10-year follow-up period, 9,362 cases of A-Fib were diagnosed.

After analyzing and comparing sweetened beverage choices among participants, researchers found that both sugar- and artificially sweetened drinks were associated with an increased risk of A-Fib.

People who drank at least two liters of artificially sweetened beverages each week—comparable to about six 12-ounce cans—had a 20% higher risk of A-Fib, compared to people who didn’t consume any sweetened drinks. For people who drank the same amount of sugar-sweetened beverages each week, their A-Fib risk was 10% higher.

Researchers looked at fruit juice intake too, but participants who drank one liter or less of pure fruit juice each week had an 8% lower risk of A-Fib.

Other factors were also considered in A-Fib risk: Researchers found that drinking more than 2 liters of artificially sweetened drinks per week resulted in a high A-Fib risk regardless of genetic susceptibility to the condition, However, when smoking was paired with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, participants saw a 31% higher risk of A-Fib.

“These novel findings on the relationships among atrial fibrillation risk and sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages and pure juice may prompt the development of new prevention strategies by considering decreasing sweetened drinks to help improve heart health,” Wang said.

Related: Signs and Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Sweetened Beverages and Heart Health

Although there is “robust evidence” linking sugar-sweetened beverages to cardiovascular disease risk, less is known about the heart effects of artificial sweeteners, American Heart Association committee member Penny M. Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, said in the press release.

“This is the first study to report an association between no- and low-calorie sweeteners and also sugar-sweetened beverages and increased risk of atrial fibrillation,” said Kris-Etherton, who is also an emeritus professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University.

Because this study only shows an association between sweetened beverages and A-Fib, the true heart risks of drinking these beverages are still unclear. However, “there are several possible explanations, including insulin resistance and the body’s response to different sweeteners,” Wang said.

According to Henri Roukoz, MD, cardiologist and chief of electrophysiology at the University of Minnesota medical school, people who drink sugar-sweetened beverages tend to have a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and other health concerns. Among others, obesity and diabetes are also known risk factors for A-Fib.

Regarding artificially sweetened drinks, Roukoz said the diets of those consumers may be putting them at an increased risk of A-Fib—not the drinks themselves. “Patients who tend to consume more beverages that are artificially sweetened, in general, tend to also eat more. They eat also less quality food,” said Roukoz. “That predisposes you to all these other factors that increase your cardiovascular risk.”

The diet theory may also matter for fruit juice drinkers. “Patients who actually are careful enough to avoid artificial sweeteners,” said Roukoz, “and careful enough to consume small amounts of [fruit juice], are probably also watching their diet.”

Related: Daily Sugary Drinks May Increase Risk of Liver Cancer, Death From Chronic Liver Disease

Should You Cut Out Sweetened Drinks?

Every person could benefit from cutting back on sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages. But while the study’s results are intriguing and may pave the way for additional research on A-Fib risk and sweetened beverages, it still had its share of limitations.

The study was observational and relied on participants recalling their own diets, which can lead to less accurate results. The caffeine content of the drinks is also unknown, as were the specific types of artificial sweeteners used in the beverages consumed.

Use of data from the U.K. Biobank—while robust—is also not a perfect match for a more diverse U.S. population, meaning that the same study conducted here could yield different results, said Roukoz. In the U.S., for example, A-Fib is more common in white Americans—but African American and Mexican American adults are more likely to drink sugar-sweetened beverages.

It’s important too that these findings don’t overshadow more concrete A-Fib risk factors, like having sleep apnea or diabetes, or not following a nutritious diet, said Roukoz.

Still, “water is the best choice, and, based on this study, no- and low-calorie sweetened beverages should be limited or avoided.” Kris-Etherton said.

Roukoz agrees: “It is prudent to consume [sweetened] products in moderation. Below two liters per week—it wouldn’t hurt to do that.”

Related: 14 Sugary Drinks To Enjoy in Moderation

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