Cutting out sweetened diet drinks could lower risk of depression, say researchers
Researchers found four cans of pop a day raises the risk of the mental illness by 30 per cent respectively.
And the danger was greatest for those who opted for ‘diet’ versions of the products.
However, people who drink four cups of coffee a day are about 10 per cent less likely to develop depression than those who never touch the beverage.
Dr Honglei Chen, of the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, U.S, said: 'Our research suggests cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk.
'More research is needed to confirm these findings and people with depression should continue to take depression medications prescribed by their doctors.'
His researchers monitored 263,925 people’s consumption of pop, tea, fruit punch and coffee between 1995 and 1996 and ten years later asked them whether they had been diagnosed with depression since 2000.
A total of 11,311 depression diagnoses were made among the participants who were aged 50 to 71 at the outset.
Dr Chen, whose findings are due to be presented at an American Academy of Neurology conference in San Diego next month, said: 'Sweetened beverages, coffee and tea are commonly consumed worldwide and have important physical - and may have important mental - health consequences.'
Unsweetened coffee could lower the risk of depression
As well as rotting teeth the over-consumption of sugar has been linked to depression, poor memory formation and learning disorders in animal experiments. Each regular can of cola contains eight teaspoons of sugar.
Consumption of soft drinks in the UK has more than doubled since 1985 - from 10 gallons per person a year to more than 25 gallons - and has been linked to the rise in obesity and diabetes. The drinks also seem to increase the risk of heart disease, liver failure and hypertension.
In children, soft drinks have been linked to addict-like cravings, as well as increasing their appetite for junk food.
Countries such as Denmark and France are introducing soft-drink taxes in an attempt to cut consumption.
In the U.S., around 100 medical and consumer organisations are now calling on the Surgeon-General to investigate the health effects of soda and other sugary drinks.
Last year we swallowed 14,585 million litres of soft drinks - an increase of more than four per cent in 12 months.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2259047/Sugary-soft-drinks-raise-risk-depression--diet-versions-cause-harm.html#ixzz2HQSiN0oZ
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