If you drink coffee, fruit juice, or fizzy drinks, you’ll probably want to read what a new study has found regarding certain beverages being associated with an increased risk of stroke. Some of the drinks increased stroke risk on their own, while others depended on how much was consumed.

The Research

The research was co-led by teams of researchers at University of Galway and McMaster University in collaboration with an international network of stroke researchers. It comes from two analyses of the INTERSTROKE research project; one on the effects of fruit juice/drinks, fizzy drinks, and water, and the other related to coffee and tea.

The INTERSTROKE project involves nearly 27,000 people from 27 countries, among which half had experienced their first stroke. As one of the largest international studies of risk factors for stroke, the study drew from a wide range of ethnic and geographical backgrounds, as well as different cardiovascular risk profiles.

Fizzy drinks, fruit juice/drink and water

The effects of fizzy drinks, fruit juice/drink, and water, which were reported in the Journal of Stroke, were as follows:

• Fizzy drinks (sugar- and artificially sweetened): These beverages were linked with a 33% increased chance of stroke. The risk increased sharply with two or more drinks per day. The chance of stroke was greatest in South America, Eastern/Central Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

• Fruit juice drinks: These beverages (many of which actually contain enough added sugars and preservatives to offset the benefits associated with fresh fruit) were linked to a 37% increase in chance of stroke due to bleeding. The risk triples when someone consumes two of these drinks per day. Women showed a greater increased chance of stroke (intracranial hemorrhage) compared to men.

•  Water: Drinking more than 7 cups per day was linked with a REDUCED risk of stroke caused by a clot.

“Not all fruit drinks are created equal,” explained University of Galway Professor of Clinical Epidemiology Andrew Smyth, who served as the lead researcher on both studies. “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.”

Coffee and tea

The effects of coffee and tea, which were reported in the International Journal of Stroke, were as follows:

• Coffee: Consuming more than 4 cups a day increased the chance of stroke by 37%.

• Tea: Overall, consuming tea was linked with a reduced chance of stroke by 18% to 20%.

• Drinking 3 to 4 cups of black tea (Breakfast and Earl Grey) daily was linked with a 29% lower chance of stroke.

• Drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea daily was linked with a 27% lower chance of stroke.

• Adding milk reduced the chance of stroke from drinking tea, possibly reducing or blocking the beneficial effects of antioxidants.

• Although drinking tea was linked with a lower chance of stroke in South America and China, it was linked to a higher chance of stroke in South Asia.

Although stroke is a leading cause of death and disability, many of the risk factors are modifiable. Diet modification often targets food intake, but beverage intake should be seen as equally important. This is particularly true of coffee and tea, which are widely consumed around the globe.

MBJ

Wendy Burt-Thomas writes about the brain, mental health and parenting.

Check out the original research:

https://j-stroke.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5853/jos.2024.01543