Which soft-drinks can turn your brain into mush? German scientists have unveiled a significant correlation between the consumption of beverages high in free sugars and an elevated risk of dementia.
The comprehensive research delved into the dietary habits of 186,622 participants in the UK Biobank, spanning ages 37 to 73, over up to ten years.
The study pinpointed specific drinks, such as fruit drinks, milk beverages, and full-fat fizzy drinks, as culprits in heightening the risk of dementia, while tea and coffee showed no such associations.
Which soft-drinks can turn your brain into mush?
The term “free sugar” denotes sugar added to food or beverages during their production, and even naturally occurring sugars in fruit juices exhibited a lesser but noteworthy connection to dementia risk.
The research postulates that an increased intake of sugar may contribute to inflammation, a factor associated with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Rigorous consideration of overall health factors, including BMI, socioeconomic status, and family health history, was integrated into the study.
For instance, consuming a modest daily milk beverage, equivalent to a McDonald’s vanilla milkshake, correlated with a 39% heightened risk of dementia over a decade.
Similarly, imbibing a can of full-fat Coke elevated the risk by 21%, while no significant association was found with foods containing free or naturally occurring sugars.
A noteworthy finding from the study underscores the potential differential impact of liquid sugar compared to solid food, as the brain may not effectively register liquid sugar calories.
This research assumes heightened significance against the backdrop of a growing dementia epidemic, with over 944,000 individuals currently grappling with the condition in the UK.
Projections suggest this number could surpass one million by the decade’s end. The study underscores the imperative for public awareness regarding the role of everyday beverage choices in the intricate landscape of dementia risk. Mindful consideration of sugar intake in drinks emerges as a crucial factor in fostering brain health and potentially mitigating the risk of dementia.
