Sweeteners and Stroke: What Genes Can Tell Us
Genetically Predicted Artificial Sweeteners and Stroke Susceptibility: A Multivariable Mendelian Randomization Study.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The association between sucralose metabolites and stroke risk reversed direction after adjusting for blood glucose levels.
It contradicts the assumption that artificial sweeteners directly increase health risks — instead, metabolic factors like blood sugar may be responsible.
Practical Takeaways
Be mindful of how and why you consume artificial sweeteners — especially in tea or low-calorie drinks — and consider overall metabolic health.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The association between sucralose metabolites and stroke risk reversed direction after adjusting for blood glucose levels.
It contradicts the assumption that artificial sweeteners directly increase health risks — instead, metabolic factors like blood sugar may be responsible.
Practical Takeaways
Be mindful of how and why you consume artificial sweeteners — especially in tea or low-calorie drinks — and consider overall metabolic health.
Publication
Journal
The International journal of neuroscience
Year
2026
Authors
Zurong Song, Hua Li, Yan Zhang
Related Content
Claims (4)
Some artificial sweeteners with no calories might raise your chances of having a stroke.
Drinking tea with artificial sweeteners might be linked to a higher chance of a certain type of stroke, and this could be connected to how people usually drink tea or coffee.
Scientists found a link between how our genes process artificial sweeteners like sucralose and a type of stroke, but that link seems to flip around when blood sugar is taken into account — meaning sugar levels might be the real player here.
Drinking more low-calorie drinks might be linked to a higher chance of a certain kind of stroke, but it's possible that this link comes from body weight or other metabolic factors instead.