A new longitudinal study, featured by India TV News, found that individuals aged 45 and above who drank one or more artificially sweetened beverages (like diet sodas) daily were nearly three times more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke or develop Alzheimer’s dementia compared to those who consumed such drinks infrequently. The study tracked over 2,800 adults for a decade, carefully adjusting for factors like age, gender, diet quality, and physical activity.

These findings echo earlier research, including the Framingham Heart Study, which also revealed a roughly threefold increase in stroke and dementia risk associated with daily consumption of artificially sweetened drinks. Researchers caution, however, that this is an association, not a direct cause and that individuals choosing diet soda may already have underlying health conditions like diabetes or hypertension that elevate their risk.

Still, accumulating evidence from multiple studies, including those from the American Heart Association, stresses caution. Artificial sweeteners may disrupt metabolism, gut health, and vascular function potentially paving a path toward neurological complications.