How beverages can affect your health

By Kennedy Kosikowski, Student Pharmacist and Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist
On behalf of ONU Healthwise Pharmacy 

The British synth-pop duo known as the Eurythmics released the song and album Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) on January 21, 1983. The duo of Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart collaborated on this album after their departure from The Tourists band. The group was very successful with many top 100 hits. Lennox eventually left the duo to pursue a solo career.

Lennox continued to sing Sweet Dreams as part of her solo tours. Lennox won an Academy Award, a Grammy and a Golden Globe for her song Into the West as part of the soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. 

Can too much sweet not be a dream?

Atrial fibrillation is a serious heart condition with potential life-threatening issues. Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has recently appeared in commercials about living with atrial fibrillation and how he should have gone to the doctor sooner when he had irregular heartbeats. He mentions in signs and symptoms such as feeling like your heart is racing, being short of breath, being tired, having dizziness and/or having chest pain. 

Atrial fibrillation is when the heart beats too fast caused by irregular electrical activity in the heart. The irregular conduction of beats can be dangerous since it may result in less oxygen being pumped to the rest of the body. One of the best ways to prevent atrial fibrillation is making lifestyle changes, especially when it comes to what we drink.

Studies show cutting out sugary drinks such as soft drinks or juice can improve health by lowering the risk of heart failure, diabetes and the amount of fatty tissue (cholesterol) built up in the heart. There have not been many studies explaining the relationship between sweet beverages and atrial fibrillation.

A study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology evaluated the drinking habits of sweet beverages in over 200,000 patients aged 37 to 73 years old. The study focused on three types of sweet beverages: artificially sweetened beverages like diet soda, sugar-sweetened beverages like regular (not diet) soda, and pure juices such as orange or vegetable juice. The researchers calculated the mean consumption of these beverages for each participant and put them into four categories. These categories included: none, less than a liter (about 34 ounces or 3 cans) per week, one to two liters (5 to 6 cans) per week and greater than two liters per week.

The results indicated a relationship between artificially sweetened and sweetened beverages and atrial fibrillation. The highest risk for atrial fibrillation was in the participant group who drank more than two liters per week of artificially sweetened beverages. The artificially sweetened beverages increased the risk by 20%. The next highest risk was in those who drank more than two liters of sugar-sweetened beverages and this raised the risk by 10%. The study showed drinking less than a liter of pure juice per week led to a decrease in the risk of atrial fibrillation by 8%.

If you enjoy sweet beverages, moderation is key. Try cutting back on diet sodas, regular soft drinks and even some fruit juices. Choose water, herbal teas or sparkling water with a splash of citrus instead.

And most importantly—listen to your heart. If you are experiencing symptoms like irregular heartbeat or fatigue, do not wait. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

If you are interested in more information please contact ONU HealthWise Pharmacy at 419-722-3784.