Is Mio really a good idea?

schwich13

****Disclaimer: this post is entirely my opinion, no claims to be backed by science whatsoever. Just throwing it out here as food-for-thought, if you will...****
I am a nurse. I have worked almost all of my career in hospitals, talking care of a largely sick, often diabetic, generally overweight population. Over and over again, I have patients who drink diet sodas, sugar free Gatorade, and flavored water ALL day long, and I cringe. While I do think that our bodies are frequently dehydrated and soooooo thirsty, and I do believe that drinking enough water is key to both general health and weight loss, I don't think these beverages are the answer. It seems to me, that perhaps those of us who want our mouths to be doing something (a.k.a. eating) all of the time are simply switching out to be drinking instead rather than breaking the habit. Sure, there aren't any calories, or at least few, but aren't we just perpetuating our habits?
Not just that, but sweet begets sweet, as our cravings for sweet call for us to want more and more sweet, ratcheting up our tolerance of and desire for more sweet (just "go off" sugars or sweeteners for a week, i promise you'll understand what I'm saying here). Science has shown that even the taste of sweet without any calories produces an insulin release, in anticipation of glucose. So if we flood our blood with insulin, guess what happens? Our blood sugar drops, which leads us where? To be hungry.
So even though we're well hydrated, are these water substitutes just causing us to eat more, either by physiology (insulin release), or through the habit of keeping our mouths and taste buds busy, or just because we like the sweet taste?
I'm certainly here as a member who needs to lose weight myself. I lost 130 lbs over five years, about ten years ago doing just this (spark people, I didn't know about mfp then), and from time to time twenty pounds creep back on over a year or so that I need to lose again. So I've been there, am there again, and probably will continue to struggle with my bad habits and less-than-stellar choices ;-) I make for the rest of my life.
Does anyone else just want to say to the world, "No! It's not the same! Just drink water, and stop paying someone else to keep us fat!"? Anyone else wish their friends and family members would stop falling for the seductive little while lie?
Or am I crazy? What are your thoughts????

macgurlnet

Well, me losing 25 pounds while drinking diet sodas/mio/similar calorie-free stuff shows that I'm not one that immediately wants more food afterwards.

I get bored drinking plain water. Mio and diet soda are a nice change. And, for me, I don't get a sugar craving afterwards.

Some people do, and they should stick to other beverages. But what is true for one person is not true for all people.

My boyfriend has lost nearly 100 pounds and he pretty much only drinks Mio-flavored water. Occasionally a Diet Coke. Milk with some meals. Hasn't caused him to crave sugary stuff.

So...there is some truth to what you've said, but it's not something that affects all people.

~Lyssa

malibu927

I've lost 40+ pounds while drinking diet soda (one can a day) and flavored water (can only drink plain if it's ice cold). I've never had an issue with artificial sweeteners causing cravings. It may happen to some people, but not everyone.

schwich13

Hmmmmm, that's good to know. I was going to add that I do drink them occasionally, for the flavor and a break from boring water, but my post was getting so long already... ;-) and of course, as usual on weight loss Your Mileage May Vary ;-)
I do think if someone is now drinking them in place of sugary drinks, of course they'll lose weight.
I'm kind of just wondering about those people who are constantly drinking them (like a chain smoker smokes), or maybe those people who just can't seem to lose weight no matter what they do? Or maybe people who are struggling with compulsive overeating? I don't know, it's just something that sits in the back of my brain that I noticed, and was trying to find a pattern, I guess.
Thanks for your input, and good job with the weight loss!

schwich13

... And honestly, this may not be the place to ask this question, since most people posting are losing weight or at least somewhat successful. But maybe wondering if there are people around you for which this may be the case? Like someone in my life who can never stick to a healthy woe for more than a day, but drinks flavored soda waters all day long and whom I have never seen drink a glass of plain water- like ever...
(Curious, but no money to fund a double blind randomized trial, hehe)

dhimaan

Never used it. There's nothing magical in it so I will stick with plain water.

Pawsforme

I've lost 22 pounds (and am now 1 pound away from a normal BMI) drinking diet Pepsi and Splenda sweetened coffee and tea. It's not a problem for me. I notice absolutely no difference in my appetite when I drink an artificially sweetened drink versus plain water. I definitely notice that when I'm trying to drink just plain water I don't drink enough to stay well hydrated. So there's a definite health issue there.

abatonfan

Doesn't even thinking about food cause an insulin release though? And if no food comes and BG falls below the hypothalmic set point, the pancreas is stimulated to release glucagon (which subsequently raises BG back to desired ranges and minimizes hypoglycemia risks)?

I'm really confused on the "insulin is released, which causes us to go low" claims I've been seeing a lot on MFP lately. There's a few counter-regulatory hormones that bring BG levels back up if it drops below the desired level (primarily glucagon, though cortisol, epinephrine, and growth hormone also stimulate glycogen breakdown), but I don't see many people mentioning them.

debubbie

I drink flavored water most of the time to avoid calorie laden soft drinks. I have lost almost 70 pounds this way. I am currently in a stall because I have not been eating at my calorie goal or exercising like I should to burn off the excess calories that I have been eating. I am getting back on track now and I will start losing weight again.

Those people that you have observed that can't seem to lose weight may be overeating on calorie heavy foods and not moving very much and that is why they are not moving weight. Or, they set an unrealistic calorie goal to lose weight and get hungry and decide that dieting is too hard before the day is over.

schwich13

abatonfan wrote: »

Doesn't even thinking about food cause an insulin release though? And if no food comes and BG falls below the hypothalmic set point, the pancreas is stimulated to release glucagon (which subsequently raises BG back to desired ranges and minimizes hypoglycemia risks)?

I'm really confused on the "insulin is released, which causes us to go low" claims I've been seeing a lot on MFP lately. There's a few counter-regulatory hormones that bring BG levels back up if it drops below the desired level (primarily glucagon, though cortisol, epinephrine, and growth hormone also stimulate glycogen breakdown), but I don't see many people mentioning them.

When your blood sugar drops, you get hungry. Then you eat.
If you are starving, and no food is available, those regulatory hormones would kick in so you don't die. Or if you are hungry for hours and hours, they would be released as well.
In our developed industrialized nations where many of us are sedentary, I think a lot more of us simply eat as soon as we are hungry.
As far as the claims you see here on mfp, I don't think there is any question as to the basis of the insulin-release claims (see the glycemic index research, for example). Now, could we be barking up the wrong tree, just like the fat-is-evil premise in the 90's? Could be. But so not my question here.

schwich13

Pawsforme wrote: »

I've lost 22 pounds (and am now 1 pound away from a normal BMI) drinking diet Pepsi and Splenda sweetened coffee and tea. It's not a problem for me. I notice absolutely no difference in my appetite when I drink an artificially sweetened drink versus plain water. I definitely notice that when I'm trying to drink just plain water I don't drink enough to stay well hydrated. So there's a definite health issue there.

But are you drinking it all-day long? I'm not talking about three or four a day here. If so, then maybe my premise is wrong....

taypop5

I would just like to comment...that in terms of your teeth...water is WAAAAAAAYYYY better. I'm a hygienist and people who are sipping even sugar free bevvies all day are certainly more prone to decay and acid erosin due to the actual acidity of their beverages (which most diet drinks are). Just my two cents. I LOVE coffee. And I mix it up between sugar and splenda depending on how I'm feeling. I do find that when I eat real sugar I am less likely to binge eat.

schwich13

And maybe I should have said "is non-stop Mio really a good idea?" Geez... You people are so literal... ;-)

debubbie

schwich13 wrote: »

And maybe I should have said "is non-stop Mio really a good idea?" Geez... You people are so literal... ;-)

Mine pretty much is! I have already drank 12 glasses of flavor enhanced water for the day and I will probably drink 2-3 more before I go to bed. Sometimes I will have plain water, but a lot of times I want something with flavor to curb cravings for something sweet.

DeguelloTex

I drink a gallon a day or so of it. More in the summer. I've lost 125 pounds.

vingogly

Apparently just thinking about food can cause a release of insulin in some individuals:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3894001

Note that the abstract says: "these studies show that "overeating" is caused by a complex feedback system of environmental, behavioral, and biological factors."

I use Mio or similar flavorings because it's the only way I can get enough water in to stay hydrated. And I have no plan to give it up. My typical intake of sweeteners is: stevia with my morning coffee or pot of tea, a bit of stevia in a smoothie when I have one, Mio or the like with the 2-3 20 oz bottles of water I drink during the day.

If it causes problems for you, don't use it. But I don't think there's any Magic Solution for any of this that fits everyone 100%. If on the other hand someone is using "non-stop" Mio all day long, that's a behavioral problem he/she might want to get some help with -- replacing one addiction with another.

schwich13

I guess I should have included the fact that I DO use it at times as well, and I use artificial sweeteners without apology. Sorry if I came across wrong.

vingogly wrote: »

If it causes problems for you, don't use it. But I don't think there's any Magic Solution for any of this that fits everyone 100%. If on the other hand someone is using "non-stop" Mio all day long, that's a behavioral problem he/she might want to get some help with -- replacing one addiction with another.

I think THIS is truly what I was trying to say. Thanks for saying it better than I could!

ereck44

I am also a nurse and noticed that there are a lot of people who wouldn't dream of drinking a glass of "flavorless" water and it drives me crazy. This is America, where water is actually safe to drink.

My own story is that I actually started consciously drinking 8 glasses of water per day, and my weight loss (stall) or plateau broke through and I lost weight again. I drink a fair amount of coffee (black) and since I started drinking more water, there wasn't as much room for coffee. I actually have a food sensitivity to the artificial sweeteners--so that was never an option.

Water is not supposed to have a "big" flavor--it's water.

earth_echo

I used to drink a ton of water enhancer. I stopped because the skin on my hands, feet, knees and elbows turned orange. And not slightly orange, VERY orange! I also had constant muscle cramps and heart frequent palpitations. It took me MONTHS to figure out what the problem was. It turns out I was consuming way too much citric acid, which all water enhancers have as the 2nd ingredient. Yeah........I stopped drinking it.

Pawsforme

schwich13 wrote: »

Pawsforme wrote: »

I've lost 22 pounds (and am now 1 pound away from a normal BMI) drinking diet Pepsi and Splenda sweetened coffee and tea. It's not a problem for me. I notice absolutely no difference in my appetite when I drink an artificially sweetened drink versus plain water. I definitely notice that when I'm trying to drink just plain water I don't drink enough to stay well hydrated. So there's a definite health issue there.

But are you drinking it all-day long? I'm not talking about three or four a day here. If so, then maybe my premise is wrong....

Four cups of coffee (three in the a.m. and one early/mid afternoon) each with two packs of Splenda. So eight packs of Splenda total per day in coffee.

Diet Pepsi for lunch. Anywhere from 8 to 16 oz. It's a 16 oz. bottle, and if I don't drink it all at lunch I'll usually finish it at some point later in the day.

Splenda sweetened iced tea with dinner.

So . . . yeah. Pretty much all day.

sunfastrose

I am a Diet Mt Dew addict - drink it all day long. I lost 50 pounds 15 years ago and have maintained that loss. It actually suppresses my appetite a lot of the time.

cafeaulait7

I used to drink several Diet Pepsis throughout the day and lost weight totally fine. But then I got GERD, and there's no way I can drink all that acid! I wanted to be off them anyway, so I'm glad I don't crave them anymore.

I wouldn't be surprised if they find that drinking so much diet soda causes GERD, though. At very least, if people have to take NSAIDs (like I did), I don't recommend drinking much of those sodas. I know the NSAIDs probably caused my GERD, but it's not like the extra phosphoric acid helped.

Asher_Ethan

I've lost more weight drinking diet soda and eating at a deficit than I did drinking NO diet soda and eating totally, "Clean." Diet soda helps me when I get a sweet tooth.

Equus5374

I use a WalMart brand drink enhancer that has Stevia as the sweetener; it's the only thing that gets me to drink enough water. I just am not motivated enough to drink plain water unless I've been working out/running. I have flavored water with all my meals. I have no side effects and feel it's better to hydrate that way than not hydrate at all.

afatpersonwholikesfood

What drives me crazy are the ones who think that drinking water with Crystal Light or Mio in it is somehow "better" than diet soda. Same ingredients minus carbonation. Dunno where the logic is.

I was a water drinker growing up. We had Pepsi at dinner, and I would split one with my mom. That was it. I was still a fat kid. I grew up, met my husband, and picked up his crazy soda habit. I switched to diet several years ago while working on my weight. No, I didn't go to the drive through and order a Big Mac with a diet soda to even out the calories. Har har. One day, I discovered I could no longer stand the taste of regular cola. The weight came back, but the real sugar did not. That's when I started ordering upsized value meals with diet drinks, and saving calories had nothing to do with it.

I can easily go through a 2 liter of soda in a day. I still drink plain, icy water and enjoy it very much, by the way. I am pretty much always drinking something. I start with soda in the morning and switch every other glass sometimes. This is not a new habit by any means. I'll concede that it's possibly related to an oral fixation. At least my husband has nothing to complain about in that department. Joking aside, even if there is a behavior link (replacing food with beverage), I'm not looking for a cure for my food issues. I'm just looking to manage them in a livable way.

I will never give up diet soda. From time to time, I cut back purely for monetary reasons.

AnvilHead

"schwich13 wrote: »

...Science has shown that even the taste of sweet without any calories produces an insulin release, in anticipation of glucose. So if we flood our blood with insulin, guess what happens? Our blood sugar drops, which leads us where? To be hungry.
So even though we're well hydrated, are these water substitutes just causing us to eat more, either by physiology (insulin release), or through the habit of keeping our mouths and taste buds busy, or just because we like the sweet taste?...

Actually, the studies I've read (some of them linked through this article) indicate that artificial sweeteners have been shown not to stimulate insulin release, even in diabetics.

"schwich13 wrote: »

...When your blood sugar drops, you get hungry. Then you eat...

Leptin and ghrelin have a lot more to do with hunger signaling and satiety than blood sugar.

Strawblackcat

I don't personally like mio (I think it tastes pretty nasty) and I don't drink many soft drinks, but I think that zero calorie beverages are better than sugared beverages from a weight loss perspective. At the end of the day, they're still calories that you didn't drink. Calories obtained through drinks aren't registered well by the part of your brain that measures satiety anyway, so I'd be willing to bet that those people drinking mio and diet Pepsi an whatever else would still be eating the extra food that they do now, even if they had been drinking a regular coke instead of a diet one.

I find that I like artificially sweetened beverages sometimes when I'm hungry and I don't feel like drinking water to hold me over to the next meal. Carbonated ones and hot beverages are particularly nice since the carbonation fills your stomach a little more and the hot beverage forces you to sip and pace yourself rather than gulp.

robertw486

I've never tried Mio, but get tired of regular unflavored water. At times I even mix a little bit of iced tea into one of my water bottles when I go for a bike ride. And really if someone uses anything other than full calorie drinks to substitute and help them break the habit, a lot calorie flavored drink it still often the better choice overall.

I do see the point, some are just changing one habit for another. But if it's changing to a healthier habit, it's still change for the better IMO.

Wynterbourne

I absolutely loathe/abhor the taste of water. The only time I can tolerate drinking straight water is if I've been doing exercise pretty much to the point of collapse in the heat. If I didn't add a 'flavor enhancer' I'd probably never touch it. I also drink diet soda regularly. I've lost 40 lbs since July. I almost never crave sweets. It's been that way my whole life. Thanksgiving Thursday was the first time I have had any sweets in months. I personally don't believe that the fake sweeteners affect everyone the same way. It's not a guarantee. If it affects you that way, don't use them or be aware of possible cravings. If it doesn't affect you, great. Thankfully, personally, I can drink them constantly and I never get hungry or crave sweets as a result.

louislove17

I have been dieting on and off for years. I NEVER liked water, but hear me out- I always used to drink things like diet sodas and flavored waters. I would never be able to stick to a diet. For the past 2-3 months I have completely dropped those zero calorie flavored drinks to just drink only water, 1 cup coffee a day, and the occasional herbal tea. At first you're gonna have to make yourself like water, but you eventually will end up being fine and even like drinking it. its so much better for me. I feel healthier, my brain works better, I'm more energetic, and I'm able to control my cravings. I make sure to get AT LEAST 8 cups of 8oz water a day. It certainly has saved me money not buying artificially sweetened drinks! But that's just me. Never have been a fan of Mio though. Whatever works for others is great! I recommend water though lol.

pander101

I have tired Mio and honestly think it tastes disgusting. Have also tried other water additives and have just opted for plain water. I am also a diet pop enthusiast. But I find that it does NOT make me crave any sort of sweet foods or any foods for that matter. I also have have no found any evidence that these artificial sweeteners have any harmful effects on the body. Until a reliable peer-reviewed journal published results, I will keep drinking it.