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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Drinking Diet Coke has been tied to heart health risks. Here's what you should know
Drinking Diet Coke and other similar beverages may be associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, among other health issues, according to new research. Although the reason remains unclear, some scientists say the drink's artificial sweeteners may trigger inflammation and alter metabolism, gut and blood vessels. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said the sweeteners may promote type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. 'Do not take it for granted that drinking low-sugar and low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages is healthy, it may pose potential health risks,' Dr. Ningjian Wang, a researcher at the Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital in China, said in a statement. People with diabetes or those trying to lose weight may turn to artificial sweeteners and could already be at risk for potential problems. But the overall message from medical professionals is clear. A study from U.C. Irvine found people who consumed the most artificial sweeteners had a 9 percent higher risk for cardiovascular disease and an 18 percent greater risk for stroke or other disease. The American Heart Association found that adults who drink about two liters or more of artificially sweetened drinks per week had a higher risk of an irregular heartbeat. "Avoiding added artificial sugars makes sense, and this study helps to support that," UC Irvine health cardiologist Dr. Elizabeth H. Dineen said. Several sweeteners appear to be the most problematic, including those used in Diet Coke and Coke Zero, researchers found. A request for comment from Coca-Cola was not immediately returned. The sweetener aspartame — which is also widely known as the brand Equal — and sucralose, or Splenda, have been linked to a higher risk of stroke and coronary artery disease. Aspartame is also used in chewing gum, ice cream, cereal, cough drops, and yogurt. It's 200 times sweeter than regular sugar and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a general-purpose sweetener in 1996. It is widely recognized as one of the most researched ingredients in the world. The FDA says it disagrees with conclusions that studies support classifying aspartame as a possible carcinogen to humans. 'Scientific evidence has continued to support the FDA's conclusion that aspartame is safe for the general population when made under good manufacturing practices and used under the approved conditions of use,' the agency says. 'The assessments of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at the doses which are commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated by more and better studies,' the World Health Organization's Dr. Francesco Branco said. That doesn't mean people cannot consume it. Moderate use should be fine. Coca-Cola notes that people with the rare hereditary disorder phenylketonuria should strictly limit their intake of phenylalanine: a common amino acid found in aspartame. 'A 2022 study found that people who consumed higher amounts of aspartame had a slightly higher risk overall of developing cancer, especially breast cancer and obesity-related cancers. However, it is unclear precisely what amount of aspartame a person would need to consume over time to increase their risk of developing cancer,' City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center oncologist Dr. Misagh Karimi said. So, how much is too much? Just a couple of drinks may increase your risk for negative health outcomes, Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based registered dietitian who specializes in heart disease, told Fox News Digital. "Research shows that drinking two or more artificially sweetened beverages per day may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke," she said.
Daily Express
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Express
Sabahan singer, actress featured on New York's Times Square billboard
Published on: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Published on: Tue, Apr 22, 2025 By: Esther Glorie Leow Text Size: The billboard in New York. Kota Kinabalu: Marsha Milan, a singer and actress, has become the first Sabahan to be featured on the iconic digital billboard in Times Square, New York. Her appearance was part of Spotify's Equal campaign, which spotlights women artists from around the globe. Marsha's image lit up one of the world's busiest intersections, marking a significant milestone not only in her career but also for Sabah's representation in the global music scene. 'It's surreal. To see a Sabahan name and face in Times Square feels bigger than me — it represents a whole community, a culture, and a dream I've carried with me for years. I'm deeply touched and honoured,' she told Daily Express on Monday. Marsha, known for her powerhouse vocals and emotional performances, recently won hearts and headlines by clinching the top spot at Anugerah Juara Lagu 39 (AJL39) with her song 'Hening Rindu'. Subscribe or LOG IN to access this article. Support Independant Journalism Subscribe to Daily Express Malaysia Access to DE E-Paper Access to DE E-Paper Exclusive News Exclusive News Invites to special events Invites to special events Giveaways & Rewards 1-Year Most Popular (Income Tax Deductible) Explore Plans Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Iraqi News
21-02-2025
- Health
- Iraqi News
Artificial sweetener may increase heart disease risk by triggering insulin surges
Artificial sweetenersTrusted Source are widely used in baked goods, soft drinks, candy, puddings, canned foods, jams and jellies, dairy products, and many other foods and beverages, particularly those marketed as sugar-free or diet. Six artificial sweeteners have been approved by the FDA for food use — aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, and advantame. As well as being used in sweet foods and drinks, they are found in many savory products, such as ready meals, ketchups and sauces, and even bread. One of the most commonly used is aspartame, also known by its brand names, which include Nutrasweet®, Equal®, and Sugar Twin®. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar so, although it contains calories, much less is needed to give the same level of sweetness. Research has suggested that artificial sweeteners may have adverse health effects, particularly if consumed often. They have been associated with several health conditions, including affecting the functioning of the gastrointestinal system, causing headaches and taste alteration, and increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseaseTrusted Source (CVD). A new study investigating the effect of aspartame in mice has provided further evidence that it may contribute to CVD risk, and outlines how it might do this. The study found that aspartame triggered spikes in release of insulin — the hormone that controls blood glucose — leading to the build up of fatty plaques, or atherosclerosisTrusted Source, in the arteries. Three cans of diet soda a day The researchers fed both male and female mice food containing 0.15% aspartame daily — the equivalent of a person drinking three cans (or about 1 litre) of diet soda a day — for 12 weeks. They then compared these mice with a group that were fed a diet without aspartame, and a group fed a diet containing 15% sugar (sucrose). Throughout the study, they continuously measured the mice's insulin levels. They also assessed the health of their blood vessels at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Insulin spikes after consuming aspartame Within 30 minutes of consuming aspartame, the mice's insulin levels increased significantly. The researchers noted that this was not surprising, given that there are sweetness-detecting receptors lining the mouths, intestines, and other tissues of both mice and people. These receptors help guide insulin release after sugar is eaten. Aspartame, being 200 times sweeter than sugar, seemed to trick the receptors into triggering much higher insulin release. It was not only directly after aspartame consumption that insulin levels were raised. Mice on the aspartame diet had persistently high insulin levels, suggesting that long-term consumption of this artificial sweetener may lead to insulin resistance, which greatly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Blood vessel damage from insulin spikes Insulin acts on many different cell types in the body, including muscle cells, adipose (fatty) tissue, liver, brain, and endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. Research suggestsTrusted Source that insulin resistance can lead to dysfunction of these endothelial cells, and this study gives further evidence to support these findings. Yi told Medical News Today: 'The study supports the hypothesis that artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame, may contribute to increased risk of CVD and type 2 diabetes. The data indicate that aspartame triggers insulin spikes via parasympathetic activation, leading to chronic hyperinsulinemia. This, in turn, upregulates CX3CL1, an immune signal that attracts inflammatory cells, exacerbating arterial plaque formation.' After 4 weeks of the aspartame diet, the mice started to develop atherosclerotic plaques in their arteries, which increased by the 8 and 12-week point. In mice fed sucrose, the plaques did not develop until the 12-week point, although these mice did gain weight and fat. Senior author Yihai Cao, who studies chronic diseases related to blood vessel disorders at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, told MNT that the discovery of CX3CL1 was unexpected, but might help the development of more effective drugs: 'Because [CX3CL1] is transmembrane protein, it will be locked on the endothelial cells lining in the inner layer of blood vessels. In this way, it can trap moving inflammatory cells in the blood.' Yi explained why replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners might not decrease risk of metabolic disorders: 'This mechanism could explain why diet soda drinkers, despite avoiding sugar, still show a heightened risk for metabolic diseases. Chronic insulin elevation is a well-known risk factor for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and the inflammatory response triggered by CX3CL1 may contribute to long-term cardiovascular damage.' Limiting aspartame intake may benefit health Cao said in a press release that he and his team plan to verify their findings in people. He emphasized the importance of knowing the long-term impact of artificial sweeteners, as they are found in so many foods and drinks.
