 I mean, to cut out your risk by 20%, I don't know, sign me up for that one. That's not a real tough one to figure out. The men in the study, mostly white and from age 40 to 75, were questioned about their health and eating habits over two years from 1986 to 2008. They also provided a blood sample halfway through the study period. Artificially sweetened beverages did not increase the risk of heart attack, nor did less frequent consumption twice weekly or twice monthly.