Don't stroke out
By University of Galway
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The research also found that drinking more than four cups of
coffee per day also increases the risk of stroke.
The findings come from two analyses of the INTERSTROKE
research project that have been published – the effects of fizzy drinks, fruit
juice/drink, and water were reported in the Journal of Stroke and
the findings related to tea and coffee in the International Journal of
Stroke.
Understanding Stroke
Stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is
cut off and damages brain cells – it can either be ischemic stroke, which is
usually due to a blood clot, or when there intracerebral hemorrhage, which is
bleeding into the brain tissue.
INTERSTROKE is one of the largest international studies of
risk factors for stroke, involving almost 27,000 people, in 27 countries,
including almost 13,500 people who experienced their first stroke.
Those who took part in the study came from a broad range of
geographical and ethnic backgrounds, with different cardiovascular risk
profiles, including Ireland and the UK.
The study which focused on people’s consumption of fizzy
drinks and fruit juice found:
- Fizzy
drinks, including both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened such as
diet or zero sugar, were linked with a 22% increased chance of stroke, and
the risk increased sharply with two or more of these drinks a day
- The
link between fizzy drinks and the chance of stroke was greatest in
Eastern/Central Europe and Middle East, Africa, and South America
- The
research noted that many products marketed as fruit juice are made from
concentrates and contain added sugars and preservatives, which may offset
the benefits usually linked with fresh fruit, and actually increase stroke
risk
- Fruit
juice drinks were linked with a 37% increase in the chance of stroke due
to bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). With two of these drinks a day, the
risk triples
- Women
show the greatest increased chance of stroke due to bleeding (intracranial
hemorrhage) linked to fruit juice/drinks
- Drinking
more than 7 cups of water a day was linked with reduced odds of stroke
caused by a clot
Expert Insights on Fizzy Drinks and Juice
Lead researcher on both studies Professor Andrew Smyth,
Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Galway and Consultant
Physician at Galway University Hospitals, said: “Not all fruit drinks are
created equal – freshly squeezed fruit juices are most likely to bring
benefits, but fruit drinks made from concentrates, with lots of added sugars
and preservatives, may be harmful. Our research also shows that the chance of
stroke increases the more often someone consumes fizzy drinks.”
He continues, “As a doctor and as someone who has researched
the risk of stroke, we would encourage people to avoid or minimize their
consumption of fizzy and fruit drinks, and to consider switching to water
instead.”
The study which focused on people’s consumption of coffee
and tea found:
- Drinking
more than four cups of coffee a day increased the chance of stroke by 37%,
but not associated with stroke risk for lower intakes
- Drinking
tea was linked with a reduced chance of stroke by 18-20%
- Drinking
3-4 cups per day of black tea – including Breakfast and Earl Grey teas,
but not green tea or herbal teas – was linked with a 29% lower chance of
stroke
- Drinking
3-4 cups per day of green tea was linked with a 27% lower chance of stroke
- Adding
milk may reduce or block the beneficial effects of antioxidants that can
be found in tea. The reduced chance of stroke from drinking tea was lost
for those who added milk
- There
were important geographical differences in the findings – tea was linked
with a lower chance of stroke in China and South America but a higher
chance of stroke in South Asia
Professor Martin O’Donnell, Executive Dean of College of
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Galway and Consultant
Stroke Physician at Galway University Hospitals, co-leads the INTERSTROKE study
in partnership with Professor Salim Yusuf of the Population Health Research
Institute at McMaster University, Canada.
Professor O’Donnell said: “A key goal of the INTERSTROKE
study is to provide usable information on how to reduce one’s risk of stroke.
While hypertension is the most important risk factor, our stroke risk can also
be lowered through healthy lifestyle choices in diet and physical activity. The
current study adds further information on what constitutes healthy choices on
daily intake of beverages.”
References:
“Carbonated Beverage, Fruit Drink, and Water Consumption and
Risk of Acute Stroke: the INTERSTROKE Case-Control Study” by Andrew Smyth,
Graeme J. Hankey, Albertino Damasceno, Helle Klingenberg Iversen, Shahram
Oveisgharan, Fawaz Alhussain, Peter Langhorne, Dennis Xavier, Patricio Lopez
Jaramillo, Aytekin Oguz, Clodagh McDermott, Anna Czlonkowska, Fernando Lanas,
Danuta Ryglewicz, Catriona Reddin, Xingyu Wang, Annika Rosengren, Salim Yusuf
and Martin O’Donnell, 27 September 2024, Journal of Stroke.
DOI: 10.5853/jos.2024.01543
“Tea and coffee consumption and risk of acute stroke: The
INTERSTROKE Study” by Andrew Smyth, Graeme J Hankey, Peter Langhorne, Catriona
Reddin, Danuta Ryglewicz, Annika Rosengren, Dennis Xavier, Michelle Canavan,
Shahram Oveisgharan, Xingyu Wang, Patricio Lopez Jaramillo, Albertino
Damasceno, Anna Czlonkowska, Helle Klingenberg Iversen, Fernando Lanas, Salim
Yusuf and Martin O’Donnell, 30 July 2024, International Journal of
Stroke.
DOI:
10.1177/17474930241264685
A series of findings have been released as part of the wider
INTERSTROKE project and can be accessed
here.