Can stopping drinking diet soda help me lose weight? Why?

Also, another thing about phosphoric acid and bone calcium. When researchers followed up on the studies that showed a loss of calcium included with consumption of sodas, they were actually able to exclude phosphoric acid as the cause. This is exactly what we mean when we say "correlation does not equal causation." Phosphoric acid was correlated with reduced calcium absorption, but it turns out it's actually caffeine that's the cause of it. So why don't we hear about the evils of caffeine leaching calcium out of our bones? Because while the research showed an increase of calcium loss with caffeine consumption, it also showed that the body compensated with a reduction of calcium loss the rest of the day, leading to no difference overall, compared to non-consumption.

This is why you have to actually read entire studies, and can't just pick one word or phrase out of it to build an argument.

Ok so someone told me that if I quit drinking diet soda I'll lose more weight. Why is that? Is it true? Why is it "diet" then if that is the case? I'm kind of confused and feel kind of dumb for asking but I'm like the cat I have tons of curiosity lol

It's zero calories. There are so many fallacies about diet soda out there by bloggers, opinionists, and so called "health gurus" that can't seem to back them up with actual peer reviewed clinical studies.
For what it's worth, diet soda has no nutritional value, but I drink it for the "sweetness" and caffeine. I have at least 2 a day along with my separate 85oz of water.
Unless you have bad reactions to the aspartame, it's not going to hold you back on weight loss.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

First of all, I don't really need to prove anything to anyone here, at the end most in this website don't have a clue about what's good or bad for you whether is in terms of losing weight or health in general. There are those who apparently might have knowledge about fitness and nutrition and yet they surprise me with the things they say to others here. If any of you decide to drink whatever you want to drink, it is your own life, your own problem, your own body but if asked for opinion, they will get it whether they agree with it or not.

To anyone who tells me that products like soda, or in this case diet soda, which are far from being NATURAL, are good and healthy, it kind of makes me not even bother with an answer. It is not my fault people can't really make good use of the internet to do a real research and not just read any article that pops up on Google search.

With that said, if any of you want to know if the following is true or not, I suggest you to look it up on your own, I'm not going to do it for you. There are plenty of books, magazines and internet articles that talk about this. Just be aware that the same way companies who want to affect the business of corporations like Coca Cola, this corporations have their own "doctors" and "scientists" to prove wrong this researchers.

Soda, whether diet or regular contains among other ingredients.

PHOSPHORIC ACID (H3PO4) which can be used for different things such as rust removal. Of course, the grade used in food is different, but it is still the same chemical. Phosphoric Acid is linked to affect and lower bone density. Studies done including the use of X-ray showed that in both women and men the bone density diminished (low bone density is a symptom of Osteoporosis). Also, Phosphoric Acid binds to calcium and other minerals in the digestive tract can form salts that are not absorbed by the body. Other studies state that Phosphoric Acid is also associated with kidney stones.


Inhalation effects - Bronchiolar fibrosis of the respiratory tract in rats. Also, rats that were exposed to 150-160 mg/m3 elemental phosphorus for 30 minutes/day for 60 days were examined for toxic effects (Inuzuka, 1956). Limb bone abnormalities were noted and effects included delayed ossification, widening of the epiphysis, and abnormal axial development.

POTASSIUM BENZOATE (E212) AND SODIUM BENZOATE (NaC6H5CO2) both used as preservative and antibacterial. When both are combined with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) they form BENZENE (C6H6) a natural constituent of crude oil, colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell. It is mainly used as a precursor to heavy chemicals. Benzene causes cancer and other illnesses. Benzene is a "notorious cause" of bone marrow failure. "Vast quantities of epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data" link benzene to aplastic anemia, acute leukemia, and bone marrow abnormalities.

CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA
Used to avoid the formation of BENZENE. Calcium Disodium EDTA is used in chelation therapy*. Side effects of chelation therapy include malabsorption or low levels of various vitamins, including vitamin C and the various B vitamins. Other side effects include allergic reactions; dangerously low blood sugar, blood pressure, or blood calcium levels; kidney failure and seizures. According to the FDA, 11 patients died from calcium disodium EDTA use between 1971 and 2007.

*Chelation therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body for the most common forms of heavy metal intoxication involving lead, arsenic or mercury

ARTIFICIAL COLORING. Artificial says a lot about how "AWESOME" it is for our bodies, but in any case caramel coloring which is added to soda drinks to give them that dark brown color is not itself a carcinogen but it is often made using ammonia. According to a 2010 study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, caramel coloring made with ammonia causes cancer in rats and mice. True humans are not rats or mice related, but personally I wouldn't want that in my body.

ninerbuff, weight is not the only issue when it comes about food. So much for the nutrition studies.

andrejjorje, although I said it at the beginning of my reply I have nothing to prove to anyone, let me explain something which is a simple rule, natural doesn't always mean healthy. Crude oil is natural, and you wouldn't eat it because is going to kill you, but it just takes a little bit of sense to analyze that not only corporations like Coca Cola, Pepsi among others will look for ways to make their products sound "safe", but when I start seeing chemistry experiments just to make something drinkable, it makes me question why would I want to put something like that in my body, and make my liver work hard to avoid all those toxins spread thru my body.

If anyone base their trust in the FDA approval of safety, not too long ago I watched a documentary about how FDA requires two successful tests in order to approve a medication, even if 98 tests weren't successful. If this is true or not, I don't know, but knowing how this government works when it comes about the influence lobbyists have on it and its agencies, I honestly don't trust them at all, but that's just me.

First of all, I don't really need to prove anything to anyone here, at the end most in this website don't have a clue about what's good or bad for you whether is in terms of losing weight or health in general. There are those who apparently might have knowledge about fitness and nutrition and yet they surprise me with the things they say to others here. If any of you decide to drink whatever you want to drink, it is your own life, your own problem, your own body but if asked for opinion, they will get it whether they agree with it or not.

To anyone who tells me that products like soda, or in this case diet soda, which are far from being NATURAL, are good and healthy, it kind of makes me not even bother with an answer. It is not my fault people can't really make good use of the internet to do a real research and not just read any article that pops up on Google search.

With that said, if any of you want to know if the following is true or not, I suggest you to look it up on your own, I'm not going to do it for you. There are plenty of books, magazines and internet articles that talk about this. Just be aware that the same way companies who want to affect the business of corporations like Coca Cola, this corporations have their own "doctors" and "scientists" to prove wrong this researchers.

Soda, whether diet or regular contains among other ingredients.

PHOSPHORIC ACID (H3PO4) which can be used for different things such as rust removal. Of course, the grade used in food is different, but it is still the same chemical. Phosphoric Acid is linked to affect and lower bone density. Studies done including the use of X-ray showed that in both women and men the bone density diminished (low bone density is a symptom of Osteoporosis). Also, Phosphoric Acid binds to calcium and other minerals in the digestive tract can form salts that are not absorbed by the body. Other studies state that Phosphoric Acid is also associated with kidney stones.


Inhalation effects - Bronchiolar fibrosis of the respiratory tract in rats. Also, rats that were exposed to 150-160 mg/m3 elemental phosphorus for 30 minutes/day for 60 days were examined for toxic effects (Inuzuka, 1956). Limb bone abnormalities were noted and effects included delayed ossification, widening of the epiphysis, and abnormal axial development.

POTASSIUM BENZOATE (E212) AND SODIUM BENZOATE (NaC6H5CO2) both used as preservative and antibacterial. When both are combined with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) they form BENZENE (C6H6) a natural constituent of crude oil, colorless and highly flammable liquid with a sweet smell. It is mainly used as a precursor to heavy chemicals. Benzene causes cancer and other illnesses. Benzene is a "notorious cause" of bone marrow failure. "Vast quantities of epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data" link benzene to aplastic anemia, acute leukemia, and bone marrow abnormalities.

CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA
Used to avoid the formation of BENZENE. Calcium Disodium EDTA is used in chelation therapy*. Side effects of chelation therapy include malabsorption or low levels of various vitamins, including vitamin C and the various B vitamins. Other side effects include allergic reactions; dangerously low blood sugar, blood pressure, or blood calcium levels; kidney failure and seizures. According to the FDA, 11 patients died from calcium disodium EDTA use between 1971 and 2007.

*Chelation therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body for the most common forms of heavy metal intoxication involving lead, arsenic or mercury

ARTIFICIAL COLORING. Artificial says a lot about how "AWESOME" it is for our bodies, but in any case caramel coloring which is added to soda drinks to give them that dark brown color is not itself a carcinogen but it is often made using ammonia. According to a 2010 study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, caramel coloring made with ammonia causes cancer in rats and mice. True humans are not rats or mice related, but personally I wouldn't want that in my body.

ninerbuff, weight is not the only issue when it comes about food. So much for the nutrition studies.

andrejjorje, although I said it at the beginning of my reply I have nothing to prove to anyone, let me explain something which is a simple rule, natural doesn't always mean healthy. Crude oil is natural, and you wouldn't eat it because is going to kill you, but it just takes a little bit of sense to analyze that not only corporations like Coca Cola, Pepsi among others will look for ways to make their products sound "safe", but when I start seeing chemistry experiments just to make something drinkable, it makes me question why would I want to put something like that in my body, and make my liver work hard to avoid all those toxins spread thru my body.

If anyone base their trust in the FDA approval of safety, not too long ago I watched a documentary about how FDA requires two successful tests in order to approve a medication, even if 98 tests weren't successful. If this is true or not, I don't know, but knowing how this government works when it comes about the influence lobbyists have on it and its agencies, I honestly don't trust them at all, but that's just me.

I'm going to put YassFitness and ninerbuff in a corner and make them hug if the don't stop it. Boys - you don't agree on this, and that is okay. Yass - everyone is intitled to his or own opinion, and while you have good points, just because people aren't on your thought-wagon doesn't mean that they are wrong. Niner - you are very knowledgable in the field and are a very fit person, but not everyone is as open as you are. Okay boys, now shake hands and agree to disagree.

Here's my take on things. No empirical evidence to back this up, but I think it makes sense.

Artificial sweeteners make us expect things to be extremely sweet, so we aren't satisfied by natural sources of sugar like fruit, which then makes us turn to processed foods like candy, cake, etc. If you phase out artificial sweeteners you'll eventually be able to get your sugar fix via whole foods like fruit, honey, etc.

I eat fruit along with diet soda daily. I've dieted many times for contests and diet soda help to keep me sane while I kept away from candy, cake, cookies etc, to it probably depends more on the person.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Here's my take on things. No empirical evidence to back this up, but I think it makes sense.

Artificial sweeteners make us expect things to be extremely sweet, so we aren't satisfied by natural sources of sugar like fruit, which then makes us turn to processed foods like candy, cake, etc. If you phase out artificial sweeteners you'll eventually be able to get your sugar fix via whole foods like fruit, honey, etc.

If you are prone to retaining water, then cutting 30mg of sodium on average from your diet for every diet drink you normally consume and replacing it with water would lead to water weight being lost.

We have a strict no artificial sweeteners policy in our house because I am severely allergic to them. However, when my spouse and I met she was a diet coke junky. While cutting them out didn't cause her to lose weight, (she replaced them with regular soda) it did have a striking effect on her health. She takes several medications for an illness and had suffered for years with nearly debilitating side effects. Almost as soon as she cut out the artificial sweeteners the side effects stopped. Turns out after discussing it with her dr. and dietician the chemicals in artificial sweeteners can interact with certain medications and cause increased toxicity.

Since she was addicted to soda, mostly for the bubbles, I bought her a soda stream last year for her birthday. Best investment I ever made. It gave us total control over the amount of syrup and therefore the amount of sugar in her soda's. She has been gradually cutting back the amount of syrup each week for several months now and just recently started putting a squeeze of fresh lemon in her glass instead of syrup at all. Since it is just CO2 and tap water there is nearly no sodium that way.

Our bodies have taste receptors throughout our gut and endocrine systems. These are used for (among other functions) feedback to regulate hormones in the body. Some of these receptors detect bitter, savory, or salt while still others detect sweet. The sweetness that theses cells are meant respond to is not from ingested sugars but rather other compounds resulting from metabolic processes. simple sugars in our foods will break down before reaching many of these taste receptors, however, some molecules like aspartame are long lived in our GI tract and blood stream. These molecules are not toxic and are harmless in most people except those who lack an enzyme to break down the amino acid phenylalanine, a condition called Phenylketonuria. However, since molecules like Phenylalanine dipeptide (Nutra Sweet) survive longer in our bodies than sugars, they will encounter and trigger sweet taste receptors elsewhere in our bodies and alter our hormone regulation. This may lead to weight gain or other unforeseen issues in some people, especially those consuming large amounts over long time duration.