A team of international experts led by Swedish scientists claim an artificial sweetener found in thousands of food and drink items could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
A study suggests that aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in Diet Coke and chewing gum, may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute, along with colleagues in China and the U.S., conducted experiments on mice, feeding them small amounts of aspartame equivalent to three cans of diet soda daily for 12 weeks. The study found that aspartame-fed mice developed more fatty plaques in their arteries and higher levels of inflammation, both indicators of cardiovascular disease. However, independent experts caution that the findings may not be reliable for humans, as the study used mice prone to heart disease and a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Some experts suggest reducing artificial sweetener intake, while others argue that sugar is not a better alternative.
