Heart News
Artificial sweeteners linked to heart disease
Turns out they ’ re not really a healthy substitute for sugar
Synthetic substances commonly used as sugar replacements have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases , suggesting that they might not be as healthy as many believe .
Researchers from the French National Institute for Health and Medical �esearch analysed the artificial sweetener consumption habits of 103,388 people along with information on their lifestyles and health over nine years . They reported an almost �0 percent higher risk of suffering from unhealthy heart conditions , including heart attack and coronary heart disease , among artificial sweetener consumers . In particular , aspartame , one of the most consumed sweeteners , was associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular events like stroke and transient ischaemic events .
“ Our results indicate that these food additives , consumed daily by millions of people and present in thousands of foods and beverages , should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar , in line with the current position of several health agencies ,” the authors wrote in the BMJ .
As is often the case with research that investigates potential harmful effects of food , the study was observational , meaning it did not clearly prove a direct causal link between heart disease and artificial sweeteners , the researchers acknowledged .
However , they pointed out that the study was based on a large sample size with high-quality dietary data like 24-hour dietary records where participants noted all the foods and beverages consumed during the day and in what quantities . In addition , previous studies , such as those on artificially sweetened beverages , were consistent with the new findings . They also noted the need for future epidemiological studies and experimental data to �further investigate a potential differential effect of artificial sweeteners according to cerebrovascular or coronary C�D [ cardiovascular disease ] types .”
Sleep quality matters to your heart
Poor sleep is linked to millions of heart failure cases
Bad sleep , such as tossing and turning or sleep apnoea , could lead to a higher risk of a heart problem called left ventricular diastolic dysfunction , which in turn could cause heart failure , according to new research .
The study was based on information from 452 adults who were observed over almost a three-year period to measure sleep apnoea ( a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts while sleeping ), sleep duration , and how much they moved in bed , a factor suggesting poor sleep quality .
The results showed that individuals with sleep apnoea developed left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in 28 percent of cases , while just 11 percent of those without sleep apnoea developed the condition . Similarly , 21 percent of individuals who move around a lot in bed suffered from the heart problem compared to eight percent of those who moved less .
This kind of heart failure , referred to as preserved ejection fraction , accounts for 60 percent of the 37 million cases of heart failure globally , “ but there is no established method to prevent it ,” said lead study author Dr Hidenori �oyama , a professor at Hyogo Medical University in Japan , in a press release . “ Our study tells us the potential importance of sleep quality for its prevention .”
18 SEPTEMBER 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com