Written by Jessica Patella, ND. In a study with 810 adults those that reduced sugary drinks by one per day had a 1.8 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure.
One in every three American adults has high blood pressure and of those, only 47% have it under control (2). Sugary drinks are the most commonly consumed beverage and the leading source of added sugars in the United States (1, 3). Research is now showing that reduced consumption of sugary drinks is associated with lowered blood pressure levels (1).
On average, US adults consume 28 ounces of sugar sweetened beverages per day, which equates to 2.3 servings per day (1, 4). Research has shown that consuming sugary drinks is associated with a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease (1, 5). Up until now, the correlation between high blood pressure and consumption of sugary drinks was only shown in animal models (1, 6).
A 2010 study involved 810 men and women from 25-79 years of age with systolic blood pressure from 120-159 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure from 80-95 mmHg. Hypertension or high blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg or a diastolic greater than or equal to 90 mmHg. Sugary drinks were defined as carbonated or non-carbonated drinks that were sweetened with sugars (sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup). They included regular soft drinks, fruit drinks, lemonade, fruit punch and other sweetened beverages. Drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners were not included in the study (1).
All participants were given advice on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) at baseline and followed up at 3, 6, 12, and 18-months. The average blood pressure at baseline was 134.9 +/- 9.6 over 84.8 +/- 4.2 mmHg. Over the 18-month period, a reduction in sugary drinks by 1 serving per day resulted in a reduction in systolic blood pressure by 1.8 mmHg (95%CI 1.2-2.4; p<0.05) and a reduction in diastolic blood pressure by 1.1 mmHg (95%CI 0.7-1.4; p<0.05) (1).
The group that had the highest consumption of sugary beverages at baseline had the greatest reduction in blood pressure at the end of the study. In this group, 23% became non-hypertensive at the end of the study after lowering their intake of sugary drinks by 15.3 +/- 9.9 ounces per day (P for trend <0.001) (1).
In conclusion, there was a positive association between reducing consumption of sugary drinks and lowering blood pressure (1). The mechanism for how this occurs is still not understood and will need to be addressed in future research studies. The researchers state that a reduction in systolic blood pressure by 3 mmHg can reduce stroke mortality by 8% and heart disease mortality by 5%. Therefore, reducing consumption of sugary drinks by two servings per day could result in decreased risk of death by stroke and heart disease (1).
Source: Chen, Liwei, et al. “Reducing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Is Associated With Reduced Blood Pressure.” Circulation 121.22 (2010): 2398-2406.
© 2010 American Heart Association, Inc.
Posted February 17, 2015.
Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.
References:
- Chen L, et al. Reducing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Is Associated with Reduced Blood Pressure A Prospective Study Among United States Adults. 2010 Circulation. doi: 10.1161/Circulationaha.109.911164
- High Blood Pressure Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Bray GA, et al. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79:537-43.
- National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004.
- Schulze MB, et al. Sugar-sweetended beverages, weight gain and incidences of type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women. JAMA. 2004;292:927-934.
- Reaven GM, Ho H. Sugar-induced hypertension in Sprafue-Dawley rats. Am J Hypertens. 1991;4:610-614.
