What kind of damage does Diet Soda pop do?

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,604 Member
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    I'm going to ignore the debate about the chemicals - because no one really knows if Diet Pepsi killed anyone haha.

    However, since this is a site focused on losing weight - it has been proven that diet soda spurs your appetite. If you can keep the cravings in check, then have at it. If it causes you to miss your daily target, then skip it.
    It's been "associated" and "linked" in some articles. Here are studies that show that it DOESN'T increase appetite:
    The American Dietetic Association (ADA) conducted an in-depth analysis of common questions and concerns about aspartame using its “evidence analysis” (EAL) approach in 2008. For example, some have claimed that low- and no-calorie sweeteners like aspartame could have a “rebound” effect that leads people to have more of an appetite or to eat more food and that low- and no-calorie sweeteners actually “make” people gain weight. The analysis also evaluated whether evidence existed to support suggestions found on the Internet that aspartame has a negative impact on health. Following a rigorous analysis of relevant human studies, which included taking into account factors such as size and quality of each study and potential bias, the review concludes that, media speculation aside, using aspartame as a sweetener has no effect on appetite or food intake. The same evaluation reaffirmed what regulators and health authorities have said many times before: aspartame is not associated with adverse effects for the population at large.

    Key findings from the ADA’s evidence-based analysis of aspartame research include:
    “There is good evidence that aspartame does not affect appetite or food intake.” This consensus statement was given a “grade 1,” the highest grade in the EAL scale.
    “Using aspartame in the context of a reduced calorie diet does not affect weight and may be associated with increased weight loss in adults.” This body of research also was given a grade 1, the highest grade in the EAL scale.
    The committee evaluated peer-reviewed research from the scientific literature on this topic and concluded, “Aspartame consumption is not associated with adverse effects in the general population.” Once again, the expert work group found that the support for this statement is grade 1, the highest grade in the EAL scale.
    The ADA managed all aspects of the process, including selection of research analysts and expert work group members. The evaluation was funded jointly by ADA and Ajinomoto. For access to the report, and to review all of the questions along with access to summaries of the research visit the ADA Evidence Analysis Library web site, accessible via www.eatright.org.

    http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/53/4/872.full.pdf?origin=publication_detail
    http://andevidencelibrary.com/files/Docs/NNSResourceDraft3.pdf

    There are many many more I'm sure. Stick to peer reviewed clinical evidence and NOT what articles of opinion or speculation tout as "proof".

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
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    No, there's a lot of fear mongering about CHEMMMMICCCAAAAALLLLSSSSS!!!! and stuff, but diet soda isn't unhealthy

    IN for fear mongering and bullying

    wheatpoison.jpg

    And the eventual trainwreck and cat gifs
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
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    I just love diet coke now - not sure what changed my mind...

    taylor_swift_diet_coke_omg-37406.gif
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
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    KseRz is correct - so I think I have to do this

    train-wreck-o.gif

    and

    tumblr_inline_ml6rg38wtH1qz4rgp.gif
  • eslcity
    eslcity Posts: 323 Member
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    I personally don't drink diet coke or diet pepsi because i just don't like the taste... if i'm going to drink it it going to be the real deal.. just log it in... and don't over do it....
  • rsoice
    rsoice Posts: 212 Member
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    I say all things in moderation.

    I love my Coke Zero and you'd have to pry it from my dead, artificial sweetner covered, caffeine coated fingers. I love the fear mongers though. Go to this website and type in this and you'll find that. More to the point, rather than the side effects and the impacts of the various ingredients, review the sample size of the study and the amounts ingested. The initial aspertame scare was based upon a study of mice that were intravenously fed something in the neighborhood of over a gallon of soda each day (my guesstimation for the fact finding be exact in our fear mongering crowd).

    Anything you ingest in excessive quantities can harm you and oh, that includes water! http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill/
  • theoriginalsunshine
    theoriginalsunshine Posts: 1
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    I thought that diet soda was doing nothing and would help in my dieting. Then I gave it up for lent, and lost 15 pounds in 6 weeks. No other change in diet or exercise. I was amazed and appalled. I have not drank it since. I have no idea what it really does to your body but the proof that it was inhibiting weight loss is there.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,027 Member
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    I thought that diet soda was doing nothing and would help in my dieting. Then I gave it up for lent, and lost 15 pounds in 6 weeks. No other change in diet or exercise. I was amazed and appalled. I have not drank it since. I have no idea what it really does to your body but the proof that it was inhibiting weight loss is there.

    The proof that it inhibited YOUR weight loss is there.

    I have been drinking 4 or 5 diet cokes or Pepsi Max's per week for year and a half - in that time I lost 10 kg and kept it off.

    I guess my n=1 study proves diet soda enhances weight loss as much as your n=1 study proves it inhibits it.
  • mnardi123
    mnardi123 Posts: 59 Member
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    I buy online or at certain grocery stores (i.e. whole foods) stevia and stevia/monk fruit sweetened iced teas and sodas. There're more expensive so I don't drink as much but I have them available to me when I feel the need. I have joint inflammation issues and since I've been off the artificial sweeteners I feel so much better.
  • Got_Discipline
    Got_Discipline Posts: 65 Member
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    I buy online or at certain grocery stores (i.e. whole foods) stevia and stevia/monk fruit sweetened iced teas and sodas. There're more expensive so I don't drink as much but I have them available to me when I feel the need. I have joint inflammation issues and since I've been off the artificial sweeteners I feel so much better.


    I have joint issues aswell. My painful problems severely limit my activity level not to mention make it extremely difficult to start moving again once I have stopped. I guess that means I should never stop :laugh: .

    I hope to see these benefits you speak of in the near future as I continue to cut the sugar devil from my diet.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
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    "Fake" sugar (no matter the kind they must be similar) hurt my stomach. Other than that, IDK.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    Hey, hey, hey, hey... drink coke zero erryday.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,604 Member
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    I thought that diet soda was doing nothing and would help in my dieting. Then I gave it up for lent, and lost 15 pounds in 6 weeks. No other change in diet or exercise. I was amazed and appalled. I have not drank it since. I have no idea what it really does to your body but the proof that it was inhibiting weight loss is there.
    Maybe that switching to water caused you to drink more and drop more water weight. I've seen that happen lots of times when I get clients to increase their fluids.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • turner2012
    turner2012 Posts: 1
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    http://drtague.com/sodas-tasty-addictive-deadly/
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    I'm going to ignore the debate about the chemicals - because no one really knows if Diet Pepsi killed anyone haha.

    However, since this is a site focused on losing weight - it has been proven that diet soda spurs your appetite. If you can keep the cravings in check, then have at it. If it causes you to miss your daily target, then skip it.

    Really? Because this is a result from an actual study on aspartame and weight loss: "The aspartame group lost significantly more weight overall (P = 0.028) and regained significantly less weight during maintenance and follow-up (P = 0.046) than did the no-aspartame group. "
  • Cielazul
    Cielazul Posts: 77 Member
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    I weaned myself off of Diet Coke (up to 2liters per day; it was all that I drank!) early in my journey, because I had heard that the aspartame causes insulin release, which may increase appetite and fat storage. I had also observed in my workplace that the only folks who drank diet soda were overweight, and instead of seeing that as a result of being overweight I started to see it as possibly being a causative factor in being overweight. I also don't like the international politics of the company that makes the product.

    But the most important outcome for me was one that I would not have expected; I feel much mentally clearer and brighter drinking only water.

    I weaned myself off using caffeinated water and now drink only plain water.

    I don't judge other folks for drinking it, but cutting out soda altogether was the best move for me.
  • kraft_kris
    kraft_kris Posts: 157 Member
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    I stopped drinking it 10 days ago, as an experiment. I wanted to see what effect it would have on my weight loss. Don't know if it was mental or what, but I did not crave sweets as much and lost almost 5 pounds.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    I get interstitial cystitis from diet soda, so I can no longer drink it. It feels like you have a bladder infection with burning urine, frequency, and urgency yet there is no infection of any kind. It's horrible.
  • gnatline
    gnatline Posts: 1
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    Diet soda affects your insulin level. Just ask your doctor! They don't allow you to drink diet soda before a fasting blood test because it affects your blood glucose readings. I weaned myself off of soda by drinking carbonated water in a fancy wine glass. And I drink less alcohol at dinner using the same trick. French and Italians already know this trick.
  • aliwhalen
    aliwhalen Posts: 150 Member
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    An overdose of certain artificial sweeteners can cause severe neurological symptoms and even permanent damage, I think also seizures and coma are a possibility. I forget what the OD dose was, but I do remember thinking that I couldn't consume that much artificial sweetener over the course of an entire day let alone in a short enough time to OD.

    Go to Google
    Type in: Google scholar, and hit enter
    Type in: side effects artificial sweetener, hit enter
    You should get pages upon pages of various scientific articles, and most of them should be related to your keywords. I recommend reading only the studies that use double-blind. After much reading you should be in a much better position to determine for yourself if diet soda poses any significant health risks.

    I tried it, and every study I'm reading says no side effects were detected, except for a study involving headaches. Then it said that a small subset of people may have increased headaches from aspartame consumption.

    My husband is one of those people. He rarely gets headaches, but anytime he eats/drinks something that has aspartame he gets a massive headache.

    I used to drink several Diet Pepsis a day when I was in high school and ended up getting a horrible UTI. My doctor's recommendation was to cut out soda and I didn't get an infection again...until I started drinking soda again. I don't know why it effects me like that, but every time I start drinking soda regularly I end up getting UTIs and kidney infections. I still crave Dr. Pepper sometimes though :-/

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