Men’s Heart Health: An End to Heart Attacks
The matter of heart attack prevention is pressing because over 1,000 people a day in the US alone experience a heart death judged to be preventable by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.6
Dietary Sugar, Particularly Soda, Drives Many Heart Diseases
The adverse health effects of sugar-sweetened beverage intake are well-established, but the implications of overall added sugar intake remain unclear. In studies done over 50 years ago (The Seven Countries Study for one), dietary sugar was linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) risk, particularly when found in pasttries. Dietary sugar intake has skyrocketed since then with more and more processed food calories in the average diet. What is the risk now? Researchers in Sweden have published new data that provide alarming news about added sugar in the diet.
STUDY
The reserachers investigated the associations between intake of added sugar and various sugar-sweetened foods and beverages and risk of 7 cardiovascular diseases in 69,705 participants aged 45–83 years (47% female) from the Swedish Mammography cohort and Cohort of Swedish men.
METHODS
Questionnaire-based diet and lifestyle assessments were administered in 1997 and 2009. National registers were used for ascertainment of ischemic stroke (n = 6,912), hemorrhagic stroke (n = 1,664), myocardial infarction (n = 6,635), heart failure (n = 10,090), aortic stenosis (n = 1,872), atrial fibrillation (n = 13,167), and abdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 1,575) until 2019.
STUDY RESULTS
Added sugar intake was positively associated with ischemic stroke and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Disease associations were found between sugary toppings intake and abdominal aortic aneurysm, and between sweetened beverage intake (soda) and ischemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Negative associations were found between treats intake (pastries, ice cream, chocolate, and sweets) and all adverse outcomes, and between toppings intake (table sugar, honey, jams, and marmalades) and heart failure and aortic stenosis.
For sweetened beverages, more than eight servings per week was associated with increased risk for ischemic stroke (19%), HF (18%), AF (11%) and AAA (31%).
DISCUSSION
The findings suggest that the associations between added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases vary by disease and source of added sugar.
The findings emphasize the adverse health effects of sweetened beverage consumption.
The summary reported on cardiovascular news websites were that:
- High intake of added sugar, especially from sweetened beverages, was linked to elevated CVD risk.
- Moderate intake, specifically of treats such as pastries and ice cream, may not adversely impact heart health.
Swedish researchers reported that “extremely low” sugar intake may not be necessary to prevent heart disease, and some treats throughout the week may be acceptable as moderate intake was associated with reduced CV risk.
One of the authors commented that: “Liquid sugars, found in sweetened beverages, typically provide less satiety than solid forms — they make you feel less full — potentially leading to overconsumption. Context also matters — treats are often enjoyed in social settings or special occasions, while sweetened beverages might be consumed more regularly.”
They went on to report that: A little of what you fancy does you good… unless it’s a fizzy drink. Scientists studying the impact of sugar on the risk of cardiovascular disease have found that eating too much added sugar increases your risk of stroke or aneurysm, but eating a few treats is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases. Meanwhile, drinking sweetened beverages raises your risk of stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation.
Bottom line: Do not drink your calories as sugar sweetened beverages and be moderate, low, or absent, in sugar from other sources. Whole fruit is always OK.
You Might Also Enjoy...
A Plant-Based Diet That Lowers Cholesterol Also Saves Lives
At the Kahn Center, we will continue to teach plant-based diets. For those not ready to eat 100% plant foods, the Porfolio Diet is a proven step forward in that direction.
Are There Any Research Studies Showing Red Meat Reducing Heart Disease?
A 2017 PMC review, "A Contemporary Review of the Relationship between Red Meat Consumption and Cardiovascular Risk," discussed how TMAO lowers reverse cholesterol transport and increases foam cell production.
Are More People Dying at Home of Heart Attacks Since the Pandemic?
There have been so many advances in the "high-tech" approaches to cardiovascular care and the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), one would expect lower rates of heart attacks. Unfortunately, new triggers like microplastics, endocrine disruptors, a
Top Research Studies Showing Reversal of Atherosclerosis with Diet
The studies presented here are widely recognized for their robust methodologies and have significantly influenced our understanding of the relationship between diet and cardiovascular health.
Does Knowledge of the Calcium CT Score Improve Patient Outcomes?
The combination of CAC score with a primary prevention strategy in intermediate-risk patients with a family history of CAD was associated with reduction of atherogenic lipids and slower plaque progression compared with usual care.