Higher cumulative intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks such as diet soda were finally associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, all-cause dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease dementia. However the researchers were unable to determine an actual cause-and-effect relationship and some experts caution that the findings should be interpreted carefully. “More research is needed to study the health effects of diet drinks so that consumers can make informed choices concerning their health,” said Matthew Pase, a senior research fellow in the department of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and lead author of the study. In response, Lauren Kane, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, issued a statement from the group that said low-calorie sweeteners found in beverages have been proven safe by worldwide government safety authorities. Heather Snyder, senior director of medical and scientific operations at the Alzheimer’s Association, called the new study “a piece of a larger puzzle.”
