Research
Mixed
High consumption of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) is associated with increased total and cardiovascular mortality, particularly in women, though substituting ASBs for SSBs may offer a modest mortality benefit.
If you consume high amounts of artificially sweetened beverages, consider reducing intake, especially if you are a woman. While replacing SSBs with ASBs reduces mortality risk compared to drinking SSBs, water remains the optimal choice for longevity.
GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
ASBs were associated with total and CVD mortality in the highest intake category only... pooled hazard ratios... for total mortality... 1.04 (1.02, 1.12; P trend = 0.01)... In cohort-specific analysis, ASBs were associated with mortality in NHS (Nurses’ Health Study) but not in HPFS (Health Professionals Follow-up Study) (P interaction, 0.01).
Why this rating
Large cohorts, but observational nature and potential for reverse causation (sick people switching to diet drinks) limit causal certainty.
Source
Long-Term Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Mortality in US Adults
Vasanti Malik et al. · Circulation · 2019
DOI 10.1161/circulationaha.118.037401
cohort · n=118363Cited 427×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
Related findings · Mixed
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