The 3 worst drinks that increase Alzheimers risk including one health-conscious people like
More than six million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, a number that is projected to double by 2060.The rise is attributed to several factors, many of them preventable — including unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles.California gastroenterologist Dr.Saurabh Sethi has highlighted some popular drinks that could be partly to blame, picking out three that he says increase a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s.“A lot of health-conscious people drink diet soda, but it is really not good for the brain,” said Sethi.He explained that while many think of diet soda as a “healthy” substitute, it is sweetened with aspartame, which “is bad for your gut bacteria, and there is a strong gut-brain connection.”Previous research has established that artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, are toxic to gut bacteria.
Scientists maintain that gut bacteria influence inflammation in the body, which also affects the blood supply to the brain.A study from the Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine linked aspartame consumption to potential problems with memory and learning.In the study, male mice that consumed aspartame — even at levels deemed safe by the FDA — had offspring that “demonstrated spatial learning and memory deficits.” Previous research found that people who drank at least one artificially sweetened drink a day were 2.9 times as likely to develop dementia.In 2024, a committee within the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement classifying the sweetener as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” a claim that industry experts have vehemently denied.In a surprise to no one, Sethi says booze is bad news for the body.
Recent research revealed that any amount of alcohol consumption could increase drinkers’ risk of more than 60 diseases.“Alcohol negatively impacts gut bacteria and liver health, plus it also impairs sleep, which is crucial for brain health,” said Sethi.A 2021 Harvard Medical Sc...