https://nordictimes.com/health/diet-soda-linked-to-irregular-heart-rythm/

Health

Diet soda linked to irregular heart rythm

Published 17 March 2024

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Chenyu Guan/Unsplash

Diet soft drinks can pose potential health risks.

Soft drinks with sweeteners may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation by 20%, according to a Chinese study.

– Do not take it for granted that drinking low-sugar and low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages is healthy, says researcher Ningjian Wang.

The study, published in the journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, involved 201,856 people in Shanghai between 2006 and 2010 who were asked to record what they ate and drank during the day. The researchers returned to the participants after about 10 years and found that about 9362 cases of atrial fibrillation had been documented among them, with a common denominator being soda consumption.

The researchers found that drinking at least two liters of diet soda or other artificially sweetened drinks per week was associated with a 20% increase in the risk of irregular heart rhythms, compared with people who drank less or none at all. It was also found that drinks with added sugar could increase the risk of atrial fibrillation by 10%. However, drinking no more than one liter of unsweetened juice a week reduced the risk of the condition by eight percent.

However, it cannot be fully confirmed that it is these drinks that cause the health problems, but the association remained even after taking into account a person’s genetic susceptibility to the condition.

Potential health risks

– Our study’s findings cannot definitively conclude that one beverage poses more health risk than another due to the complexity of our diets and because some people may drink more than one type of beverage, adds Ningjian Wang, a researcher at Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and continues:

– However, based on these findings, we recommend that people reduce or even avoid artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages whenever possible.

The study also found that participants who consumed more artificially sweetened beverages were more likely to be female, younger, have a higher body mass index, and have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

– Do not take it for granted that drinking low-sugar and low-calorie artificially sweetened beverages is healthy, it may pose potential health risks.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/finnish-cancer-expert-put-warning-labels-on-alcohol/

Health

Finnish cancer expert: Put warning labels on alcohol

Published 11 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: RDNE Stock project/Pexels

Several experts want alcoholic beverages to have warning labels similar to those on cigarette packs.

Alcohol causes thousands of cancer cases every year, yet few people are said to be aware of the link. Finnish cancer expert Eeva Ollila wants to see warning labels on alcoholic drinks to raise awareness and improve public health.

The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has proposed introducing cancer warnings on alcoholic beverages, similar to those already on cigarettes. He has issued a so-called “strong recommendation”, which is unusual and according to authorities requires immediate attention. Alcohol, according to Murthy, contributes to about 100,000 people contracting cancer and 20,000 dying from the disease in the US each year, reports the BBC.

The link between alcohol and cancer has long been a concern for EU policymakers, and there was a plan to introduce warning labels on alcoholic beverages as early as 2023. However, the plan was never implemented, as many politicians’ attitudes on the issue changed as the 2024 European elections approached, according to former Finland-Swedish MEP Nils Torvalds.

– Many of the MEPs had an election campaign ahead of them and were more worried about their own mandate than about the issues in Parliament, he told Finnish state broadcaster Yle.

Pointing to ignorance

Finnish cancer expert Eeva Ollila, a senior physician at the Finnish Cancer Society, believes that both Finland and the EU should pursue the issue.

– In Finland, alcohol is responsible for 2,100 cancer cases a year, 500 of which result in death. This is remarkable for public health as a whole, he tells the paper.

Ollila believes that product labeling requirements should be introduced, which would include three elements: the risk of cancer, the content of the drink and the amount of calories. She also points out that a major problem is that many people do not know that alcohol causes cancer – according to research, only 20 to 40% of Nordic people know about the link.

– The problem is that people don’t know that alcohol causes cancer. They should have the right to know what they put in their mouths and how it affects their bodies, says Ollila.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/danish-study-cows-milk-healthier-than-plant-based/

Health

Danish study: Cow’s milk healthier than plant-based

Published 3 January 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: engin akyurt/Unsplash

Cow’s milk contains more protein and essential amino acids compared to plant-based alternatives, according to a Danish study. Cow’s milk also has a lower sugar content.

In the study, published in Food Research International, researchers from the University of Copenhagen analyzed two types of cow’s milk and ten types of different plant-based beverages as alternatives to regular milk. The plant-based drinks included six oat drinks, one soy drink, one rice drink, one almond drink and one drink made from a mixture of soy, rice, almonds and oats.

All the drinks in the study had undergone an ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment, where the product is heated enough to kill all bacteria. This method allows the products to be stored unopened at room temperature. However, cow’s milk often undergoes low pasteurization, where it is heated at lower temperatures. As plant-based beverages are usually treated with UHT, the researchers chose to compare products with the same type of heat treatment.

More protein

The cow’s milk tested contained 3.4 grams of protein per liter, while eight of the 10 plant-based drinks examined contained only between 0.4 and 1.1 grams of protein per liter.

All plant-based drinks also had a lower content of essential amino acids compared to cow’s milk. In addition, seven out of ten plant-based drinks contained more sugar than cow’s milk.

– Overall, plant-based drinks contain significantly less protein and some of them also contain more sugar than cow’s milk, Marianne Nissen Lund, professor at the Department of Food Science and lead author of the study, told Danish state broadcaster DR.

When foods containing protein and sugar are exposed to heat, a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction or Maillard effect occurs. This is what makes freshly baked bread smell good or adds extra flavor to the surface of a piece of meat, according to the researchers. At the same time, some of the essential amino acids are converted in this process.

– In this way, there is a clear loss of nutrients, says Nissen Lund.

Not a good source of nutrients

Nissen Lund recommends that consumers generally choose less processed products to benefit both the environment and health. However, she stresses that plant-based milk substitutes are not considered unhealthy, but emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet.

– If you make sure you eat a balanced diet, my assessment is that drinking these plant-based drinks is not problematic. Just don’t think it’s a source of good nutrition.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/swedish-study-difficult-pregnancy-linked-to-fewer-children/

Health

Swedish study: Difficult pregnancy linked to having fewer children

Published 27 November 2024

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Alexander Grey/Unsplash

The number of babies born in Sweden has declined in recent decades and researchers emphasize the importance of better monitoring and follow-up in maternity care.

Swedish women who suffer severe complications during their first pregnancy are less likely to have more children in the future, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden’s leading medical university.

In the study, published in Jama, researchers examined the relationship between severe morbidity in first-time mothers and their likelihood of having more children. The study included over one million women in Sweden who had their first child between 1999 and 2021.

According to the study, 3.5% of women experienced serious complications during their pregnancy. Of these, 12% were less likely to have more children as a result of the complications.

– We found that the likelihood of having more children was significantly lower among women who experienced severe illness during their first pregnancy, childbirth or early postpartum period. These events can often affect women for a long time to come, both physically and psychologically, says Neda Razaz, Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet and one of the researchers behind the study in a press release.

Fewer children are born

Women who suffered from heart problems, uterine rupture or severe deterioration in their mental state were least likely to have more children. Compared to women without complications, these women were half as likely to have children

Among women who needed ventilator care or suffered a cerebral hemorrhage during their first pregnancy, 40% were less likely to have more children. Complications such as acute renal failure, severe pre-eclampsia and blood clots were also linked to a reduced likelihood of further pregnancies.

The number of births in Sweden has decreased while infertility has increased in recent years and the researchers emphasize the importance of better monitoring and follow-up in maternity care.

– The clinical follow-up of these women is very important and they need individualized counseling about possible future pregnancies, says Eleni Tsamantioti, PhD student at the Department of Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and one of the researchers behind the study.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/balance-identified-as-key-indicator-of-aging/

Health

Balance identified as key indicator of aging

Published 24 November 2024

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: iStock/andreusK

Research shows that the ability to stand on one leg is a better indicator of ageing than both strength and walking. Researchers therefore recommend practicing balance to prevent falls and other risks associated with aging.

In a study published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, walking, balance, grip strength and knee strength were tested in 40 people over the age of 50. Half of the participants were younger than 65, and the other half were 65 or older. The study was conducted at Chang Gung University and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, New York

Grip strength was measured using specially designed equipment, and knee strength was tested by having participants, while seated, extend their knee as far as possible.

In the walking test, participants had to walk back and forth on an eight-meter track at their own pace. Balance was measured using force plates, with participants standing in different positions: on both feet with eyes open, on both feet with eyes closed, on the non-dominant leg with eyes open and on the dominant leg with eyes open. Each test lasted 30 seconds.

Balance deteriorated the most

The results showed that balance deteriorated the most as a clear effect of aging.

– Balance is an important measure because, in addition to muscle strength, it requires input from vision, the vestibular system and the somatosensory systems, Dr. Kenton Kaufman, lead author of the study and director of the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic, told MedicalXpress, adding:

– Changes in balance are noteworthy. If you have poor balance, you’re at risk of falling, whether or not you’re moving. Falls are a severe health risk with serious consequences.

Grip strength and knee strength also decreased significantly over the years, but not as much as balance. However, grip strength declined faster than knee strength, while walking ability did not change significantly with age, according to the researchers.

– This was not a surprising result since participants were walking at their normal pace, not their maximum pace, says Dr. Kaufman.

The researchers noted no major differences between the sexes, and both men and women were equally affected by age.

Falls are one of the most common causes of injury among older people, according to the researchers, and most falls are due to impaired balance. Dr. Kaufman therefore recommends balance exercises such as standing on one leg. If you can stand on one leg for 30 seconds, that’s considered a good sign.

– It’s easy to do. It doesn’t require special equipment, and you can do it every day, he says.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Polaris of Enlightenment

Polaris of Enlightenment