Sugary Drinks Increase Risk of Developing Diabetes

Amazingly two researchers discovered that for each additional 12-oz serving of sugar-sweetened beverage per day the risk of developing diabetes increased 25%.

Researchers Malik and Hu collected 11 large studies of people who had diabetes or metabolic syndrome. They then analyzed the results based on whether these folks reported drinking no sugar-sweetened drinks or drinking more than one or two per day.

How many people do you see swigging on 32 ounce sodas every day? No wonder diabetes is so rampant!

That makes drinking sugar-sweetened beverages equivalent to smoking which increases the risk of developing diabetes 30-40%.

Here’s the perspective from researcher Hu: “So for those who drink two to three sodas per day, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes would be increased by 30% to 40%, which is not very different from the increased risk associated with cigarette smoking.”

Drinking those sweet drinks also increased the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

Most of us are familiar with type 2 diabetes mellitus (also known as adult onset diabetes). But what’s metabolic syndrome?

A conglomerate of bodily abnormalities come together to produce the picture of Metabolic Syndrome.  These abnormalities include:

•             Increased waist measurement (Also known as Dunlap syndrome – “My belly done lapped over my belt.)
•             Elevated triglycerides
•             Blood cholesterol abnormalities
•             Elevated blood sugar
•             High blood pressure
•             Insulin resistance (increased blood insulin levels)

A person who feels perfectly fine at the moment goes to the doctor for a checkup. When all of the studies come back, if the results show the above picture of metabolic syndrome, the doctor tells him/her that they have high risk for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Hu goes on to say:

“There is interesting evidence from clinical trials and animal experiments that higher amounts of fructose may directly contribute to components of the metabolic syndrome,” Hu said. “For example, high-fructose corn syrup has been associated with increased risk for adiposity, increased triglycerides, and decreased high-density lipoprotein. So it’s possible that the adverse effects of soft drinks on diabetes we observed in this meta-analysis are due to the combination of excess caloric intake but also some unique metabolic effects of fructose and other components of soft drinks.”

How does fructose affect the body?

The liver processes most of the fructose into triglycerides so the body can store these excess calories as fat. In the process of moving the triglycerides from the liver to the body fat tissue, the blood triglycerides become elevated. Fructose may also contribute to the accumulation of fat around the internal organs.

High fructose intake may also be part of the development of cholesterol abnormalities.

Fructose can raise blood pressure as well as blood concentrations of uric acid.

Now what are your conclusions about this study?

They seem quite obvious. Sugary drinks wreak havoc in the body and greatly increase the risk of developing all of the problems associated with metabolic syndrome.

But that’s what we’ve been warning people of for years. All sugar substances (sweeteners) contribute to damaging the cells which leads to degenerative diseases.

It’s impossible to tell you the whole story in this article, but I go into it in far greater detail in my DVD series, Disease is Optional – the Choice is Yours. Watch for its release early in 2011.

Have you had a chance to look at Dr. Dean’s Future Health Now program/

What do you think of it?

In the second lesson she reveals a fascinating simple thing you can do that Dr. Dean says can help prevent sinus headaches and improve your sense of smell among other things.

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair for me to disclose this secret since Dr. Dean spent so much time and effort putting Future Health Now together for you. But she’s willing to tell you this secret without any charge. You will be given access to it in your second weekly lesson. And she doesn’t charge anything for the first 4 lessons.

Might as well give the program a try. Sign up for your free 4-week trial at:

Future Health Now