Diet coke/pepsi addiction...HELP!!

I realised that I am addicted to diet coke/pepsi and some days I would drink over a 1 litre a day! I gave it up a week ago but my cravings got the better of me last night and I had two cans of diet pepsi. Today however I feel rubbish. I am so fatigued, head feels cloudy and I am craving high sugar foods just for some energy! Now this is kind of normal as I suffer from depression and have low energy as a symptom but it has been ok for a week.
Could the diet pepsi be causing how I feel today and why? My friend said it was aspartame as it is like poison but I have researched it and it has been proven safe to consume. And if it was aspartame then that is in other foods I consume so maybe it isn't the diet coke that is causing how I feel today!! Any info? Advice? I will be stopping diet coke again just in case it is that.

Replies

ColossusCain

I believe that the human race has developed a form of collective schizophrenia in which we are not only the slaves to this imposed thought behavior, but we are also the police force of it.
David Icke

Goodbye. Yes, go ahead and cheer. I win in the end.

I do not have enough bread crumbs to find my way home after all of this. I will say if Aspartame is a secret weapon in population control I really wish they would put it in more things at higher doses. I don;'t know if you've been to Walmart, Market Basket, or any county fair lately but we need all the help we can get !

ColossusCain

Because, you know, science

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/18/is-aspartame-safe/comment-page-2/

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/are-artificial-sweeteners-safe/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/artificial-sweetener-aspartame-safe-to-drink-in-current-amounts-say-european-regulators/

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/12/controversial-sweetener-aspartame-declared-safe

Oh and many of the studies were conducted in other countries with over 90 countries determining Aspartame to be safe in the levels we consume it.

Corsetopia

Yes, diet pepsi contains aspartame, something used to sweeten your drink instead of high calorie sugar. But aspartame is responsible for everything you're feeling and here is why:
SOME THINGS CAUSED BY ASPARTAME CONSUMPTION

* birth defects
* brain cancers
* diabetes
*emotional disorders
*Epilepsy

If what you're consuming has aspartame in it, don't consume it. It's a poison, like flouride. Unfortunately it can be masked with different words on the ingredient list. But the more processed a food is, the more of this stuff is in it, you can bet on that. Are people that unaware that we are being killed off or debilitated?

If you really think diabetes is caused by aspartame you really need to read up on diabetes.

Are They Linked to Diabetes?
As the sweet receptors in your esophagus and stomach are “tricked” by the zero-calorie substitutes, your pancreas is tricked into sending a false spike of insulin that can lead to insulin resistance. This can lead to diabetes. Also, since artificial sweeteners cause your body to crave more food, you can also put on weight, which further increases your risk for diabetes.

In addition to diabetes, artificial sweeteners may be contributing to a nationwide epidemic of metabolic syndrome, which includes diabetes-inducing insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and too much fat around the waistline.

It's not nice to plagiarize. If you took this information from someone else, you should credit the source. Just sayin'...

So forget what all that said, and let's focus on the fact I didn't source it. Nice distraction there, I got it from Dr.Oz's site. I finally gave you your TEXT evidence that you needed something to put me down on, well there you go.

OH. Dr. Oz's site!!!!
le6xfjh

LVCeltGirl

You all know that the zombie apocalyse is going to happen right? Except diet soda will be what burns them.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I better stock up on my diet soda for the zombies...Damn, means I'll have to stop drinking the stuff!

Natmarie73

I realised that I am addicted to diet coke/pepsi and some days I would drink over a 1 litre a day! I gave it up a week ago but my cravings got the better of me last night and I had two cans of diet pepsi. Today however I feel rubbish. I am so fatigued, head feels cloudy and I am craving high sugar foods just for some energy! Now this is kind of normal as I suffer from depression and have low energy as a symptom but it has been ok for a week.
Could the diet pepsi be causing how I feel today and why? My friend said it was aspartame as it is like poison but I have researched it and it has been proven safe to consume. And if it was aspartame then that is in other foods I consume so maybe it isn't the diet coke that is causing how I feel today!! Any info? Advice? I will be stopping diet coke again just in case it is that.

So after a week of not drinking diet coke you had some and felt like rubbish? You also state you have not had low energy for a week even though low energy is normal for you. Clearly your body is telling you that this stuff is not good for you. Whether it is the aspartame or caffeine or whatever - listen to your body. If you have a sweet craving have a piece of fruit or a tiny bit of honey in chamomile or herb tea instead.

Keep it natural you will honestly feel so much better.

Fullsterkur_woman

Yes, diet pepsi contains aspartame, something used to sweeten your drink instead of high calorie sugar. But aspartame is responsible for everything you're feeling and here is why:
SOME THINGS CAUSED BY ASPARTAME CONSUMPTION

* birth defects
* brain cancers
* diabetes
*emotional disorders
*Epilepsy

If what you're consuming has aspartame in it, don't consume it. It's a poison, like flouride. Unfortunately it can be masked with different words on the ingredient list. But the more processed a food is, the more of this stuff is in it, you can bet on that. Are people that unaware that we are being killed off or debilitated?

If you really think diabetes is caused by aspartame you really need to read up on diabetes.

Are They Linked to Diabetes?
As the sweet receptors in your esophagus and stomach are “tricked” by the zero-calorie substitutes, your pancreas is tricked into sending a false spike of insulin that can lead to insulin resistance. This can lead to diabetes. Also, since artificial sweeteners cause your body to crave more food, you can also put on weight, which further increases your risk for diabetes.

In addition to diabetes, artificial sweeteners may be contributing to a nationwide epidemic of metabolic syndrome, which includes diabetes-inducing insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and too much fat around the waistline.

It's not nice to plagiarize. If you took this information from someone else, you should credit the source. Just sayin'...

So forget what all that said, and let's focus on the fact I didn't source it. Nice distraction there, I got it from Dr.Oz's site. I finally gave you your TEXT evidence that you needed something to put me down on, well there you go.

OH. Dr. Oz's site!!!!

Jade0529

Drinking too much pop makes me feel terrible. (and I would say 1 litre a day is too much!)

I don't know if it's the sugar, caffeine, the artificial colours or just all that fizz but whatever it is, it isn't good.

Artificial sweeteners give me the worst migraine.

Kevalicious99

That stuff is full of **** .. why do you think that the big companies spend billions of dollars telling us we need to drink it. Cause they know that stuff is bad .. but they just want to make a buck, or a few billion.

So .. I stopped pop cold turkey last August and have never felt better. I used to drink Diet Pepsi like crazy .. and now, no thanks.

crimsontech

Some people have problems with aspartame.. it is the artificial sweetener that most often gives people issues healthwise. It may be perfectly safe (according to studies) to consume as far as not being a carcinogen, but that does not mean that it is good for our bodies. When it is overheated it breaks down into something similar to formaldehyde and methanol. I studied this stuff pretty intensely because, like you, I had a diet coke addiction... but got to where I felt like crap all the time. After a series of doctors visits, my doc finally looked at me and said, I give up, I don't know what is wrong with you... lets look at your diet. Bingo! He had me stop dairy... wheat... gluten.... etc and none of my symptoms stopped. Then came the aspartame drinks... and I felt worse for 3 days in the beginning as I went through detox and then it was as if heavns gates opened and angels began to sing. My blurred vision stopped, dizziness when standing, headaches, muscle aches... all of it stopped. Doc said some people are sensitive to the stuff... and just shouldn't have it. It was literally poisoning my body. It does take a few days of real discipline to stop drinking it... bujt once you are off of it you feel SO much better. I replaced it with water and splenda sweetened drinks... and haven't had any problems since. Maybe try some of the water flavors in little squirt bottles, many are made with splenda or stevia. Also, fruit20, diet rite, and many bottled preflavored waters do not contain aspartame.

I am in the same boat. I am allergic to formaldehyde (skin patch test). I went cold turkey quitting aspartame about 7 years ago, not really knowing if it was going to stop any of the random things that were wrong with me. I noticed within a couple days that my random dizzy spells went away completely and never returned. I used to get them at least 10 times a day for just a few seconds - dizzy enough to grab a chair or wall or something. I also had a strange low back pain near my sacrum/tailbone area that I have been able to link to aspartame after spending thousands of dollars on chiropractor visits and massages that did nothing to help.

I don't know if my formaldehyde allergy caused my aspartame-related problems, or if my excess consumption of aspartame-containing drinks years ago caused the allergy, but it's there. I'm sure aspartame in moderation is perfectly fine for most people, but for those people who suspect they are not tolerating it well, it's disingenuous to fill their head with "no, it's fine, science says so" and sway them away from seeing if they are one of the few of us who do not tolerate it.

Every body is different and it's up to us to figure out what makes us feel the best. The OP has a valid concern about his/her aspartame exposure, and to that, I suggest you try taking a month off of it. If you are also addicted to caffeine, you can replace the soda with iced tea, or wean yourself off the caffeine gradually over the course of 4-6 weeks to reduce withdrawal symptoms. You might find (like I did) that you really like plain old water.

After 30 days without aspartame, you can re-introduce it and see how you feel. Then, you can make the decision whether or not it is OK for you.

RllyGudTweetr

I believe that the human race has developed a form of collective schizophrenia in which we are not only the slaves to this imposed thought behavior, but we are also the police force of it.
David Icke

Goodbye. Yes, go ahead and cheer. I win in the end.

Hadn't seen a good flouncing on the forum in days. Thanks.

unknown

This content has been removed.

RllyGudTweetr

That stuff is full of **** .. why do you think that the big companies spend billions of dollars telling us we need to drink it. Cause they know that stuff is bad .. but they just want to make a buck, or a few billion.

So .. I stopped pop cold turkey last August and have never felt better. I used to drink Diet Pepsi like crazy .. and now, no thanks.

This is probably the same reason folks keep pushing fresh vegetables on us; Big Farm just wants to make a buck. *Nods sagely.*

Kaylee_law_123

I had the same addiction ... but somehow the cravings went away when I got pregnant, not sure it's a method I would recommend to get over the addiction though lol.

Fullsterkur_woman

That stuff is full of **** .. why do you think that the big companies spend billions of dollars telling us we need to drink it. Cause they know that stuff is bad .. but they just want to make a buck, or a few billion.

So .. I stopped pop cold turkey last August and have never felt better. I used to drink Diet Pepsi like crazy .. and now, no thanks.

This is probably the same reason folks keep pushing fresh vegetables on us; Big Farm just wants to make a buck. *Nods sagely.*

You can have my Coke Zero and my spinach when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!

fwgrant

I've noticed diet soda makes me hungry........stay away!

elissa71710

There are a ton of products out there that are approved by the FDA and the ADA. That doesn't mean that they are good for you or that they won't put your body through hell in the long run. I guess since McDonalds is allowed to operate all around the world we should be eating that every day, right? Just because some persons grandmother has been drinking it for ages and is perfectly fine doesn't mean anything. My grandma has been smoking for 60 years and she is healthy as anything. Guess what? My husbands dad died of LUNG CANCER AT 40 from smoking. Cigarettes are perfectly legal! Guess that makes them okay?

Here is a study from the FDA (which I believe to be a credible source) on aspartame toxicity:

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/jan03/012203/02p-0317_emc-000199.txt

72JenniferW

Haaah! Great image- There are few things funnier than a Beaker "Meep" meltdown.

RllyGudTweetr

There are a ton of products out there that are approved by the FDA and the ADA. That doesn't mean that they are good for you or that they won't put your body through hell in the long run. I guess since McDonalds is allowed to operate all around the world we should be eating that every day, right? Just because some persons grandmother has been drinking it for ages and is perfectly fine doesn't mean anything. My grandma has been smoking for 60 years and she is healthy as anything. Guess what? My husbands dad died of LUNG CANCER AT 40 from smoking. Cigarettes are perfectly legal! Guess that makes them okay?

Here is a study from the FDA (which I believe to be a credible source) on aspartame toxicity:

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/jan03/012203/02p-0317_emc-000199.txt

That appears, by my reading, to be the writings of an individual (Mark Gold) TO the FDA, pursuant to a legal action he - or the group he represented - was taking against the FDA regarding aspartame.

Mark Gold's further opinions on the subject can be seen here:
http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2011/02/154-mark-gold.html

Natmarie73

And don't forget that the FDA also approved thalydomide as being perfectly safe on the advice of Big Pharma scientists based on sound "scientific" evidence. And we all know what happened there. Not to mention the totally flawed study on saturated fat that still has repercussions today. I am waiting to see what the outcome is from the gross over prescription of "scientifically proven safe" statins.

Sorry if I sound a little too "conspiracy theory" but here I am very sceptical about "science" that is funded by pharmaceutical companies, chemical companies and governments and tend to keep an open mind about alternative sources of information.

pennymcox

I am not a scientist, but I've always thought it was just common sense that putting man-made chemicals in my body came with a certain amount of risk. That wasn't enough to deter me from my decades-long Diet Coke habit however. My nurse sister-in-law always told me 'You're going to get a brain lesion from drinking that stuff", but I chose to believe the scientific studies that said it was safe. Until 5 years ago when they discovered a growing tumor (i.e., lesion) in the left ventricle of my brain. Let me tell you having brain surgery that goes deep into your brain is very scary. Luckily I had a great surgeon at Johns Hopkins and the surgery was a complete success. I haven't touched a diet soda since I got that diagnosis. The doctor couldn't say what caused my tumor, but it was not cancer.

One thing I've learned is that many "scientific studies" (even those conducted by prestigious universities) are funded by the industry that stands to gain the most if the conclusion (or lack of conclusion) of the study goes in their favor. And anyone who is paying attention to all the health claims out there knows that many scientific studies are often proven wrong with later studies

So, bottom line is that everyone needs to decide their own risk tolerance and act accordingly. I wouldn't presume to lecture or judge anyone who chose to continue their habit. I would just caution those who have a history of consuming aspartame to be familiar with the symptoms of brain lesions and consult your doctor if you begin experiencing any of them. Luckily my tumor was not in a spot that made it "inoperable", but had it grown much larger, there was a good chance that it would become a serious situation very quickly and require life-saving emergency brain surgery.

Since my brain surgery adventure, I've learned of others who were not so lucky . A few have tumors that are not cancer but are large and/or in locations that make them impossible to remove. In the two cases I am familiar with, the tumor was going to kill them as it continued to grow. It was only a matter of time. Both are relatively young women with young families (I've since lost contact with both ladies due to a change of employment, so I'm not sure how they are today)

I feel lucky that we caught my tumor when we did, and that I now have a medical reason to get a brain MRI annually. I know that we'll be able to catch any new tumors before they get too large (hopefully not in an inoperable location).

I found this link for anyone that's interested. It includes a segment from 60 Minutes.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/10/aspartame-brain-cancer-and-the-fda.aspx

RllyGudTweetr

I am not a scientist, but I've always thought it was just common sense that putting man-made chemicals in my body came with a certain amount of risk. That wasn't enough to deter me from my decades-long Diet Coke habit however. My nurse sister-in-law always told me 'You're going to get a brain lesion from drinking that stuff", but I chose to believe the scientific studies that said it was safe. Until 5 years ago when they discovered a growing tumor (i.e., lesion) in the left ventricle of my brain. Let me tell you having brain surgery that goes deep into your brain is very scary. Luckily I had a great surgeon at Johns Hopkins and the surgery was a complete success. I haven't touched a diet soda since I got that diagnosis. The doctor couldn't say what caused my tumor, but it was not cancer.

One thing I've learned is that many "scientific studies" (even those conducted by prestigious universities) are funded by the industry that stands to gain the most if the conclusion (or lack of conclusion) of the study goes in their favor. And anyone who is paying attention to all the health claims out there knows that many scientific studies are often proven wrong with later studies

So, bottom line is that everyone needs to decide their own risk tolerance and act accordingly. I wouldn't presume to lecture or judge anyone who chose to continue their habit. I would just caution those who have a history of consuming aspartame to be familiar with the symptoms of brain lesions and consult your doctor if you begin experiencing any of them. Luckily my tumor was not in a spot that made it "inoperable", but had it grown much larger, there was a good chance that it would become a serious situation very quickly and require life-saving emergency brain surgery.

Since my brain surgery adventure, I've learned of others who were not so lucky . A few have tumors that are not cancer but are large and/or in locations that make them impossible to remove. In the two cases I am familiar with, the tumor was going to kill them as it continued to grow. It was only a matter of time. Both are relatively young women with young families (I've since lost contact with both ladies due to a change of employment, so I'm not sure how they are today)

I feel lucky that we caught my tumor when we did, and that I now have a medical reason to get a brain MRI annually. I know that we'll be able to catch any new tumors before they get too large (hopefully not in an inoperable location).

I found this link for anyone that's interested. It includes a segment from 60 Minutes.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/01/10/aspartame-brain-cancer-and-the-fda.aspx

Citing Mercola is not generally going to go too well around here, historically:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/988949-debunked-declarations-dr-mercola-and-dr-oz

ninerbuff

I am in the same boat. I am allergic to formaldehyde (skin patch test).

May want to not eat citrus fruits then because formaldehyde is a byproduct.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

Here is a study from the FDA (which I believe to be a credible source) on aspartame toxicity:

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/jan03/012203/02p-0317_emc-000199.txt

Well not actually a study but a docket letter with concern of aspartame to the FDA. I looked at it and the sources (with the exception of one) were just "reports". Not actual scientific experimentation. There's a huge difference since scientific studies are usually controlled. Even the actual one from Journal of Applied Nutrition made no mention if subjects had PKU,or were already susceptible to caffeine, etc.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

fbmandy55

That stuff is full of **** .. why do you think that the big companies spend billions of dollars telling us we need to drink it. Cause they know that stuff is bad .. but they just want to make a buck, or a few billion.

So .. I stopped pop cold turkey last August and have never felt better. I used to drink Diet Pepsi like crazy .. and now, no thanks.

Or maybe they spend billions on telling you to drink it because they are a business and that is the point of marketing???

Emsie_lou

Wish I never asked the question!!!! But thanks for your answer

:noway: Wow! As interesting as all that was to read, I feel so sorry for OP whose post got hijacked! :laugh:

Listen, you said you'd been drinking over 1L a day? You had a break, then after you had some again, you felt poorly. In all honesty, I think you've figured it out. Drinking the diet pepsi/diet coke has given you a side effect. One you had probably built an immunity to before and never noticed.

I personally have never enjoyed diet soft drinks because I've always found the taste to be a little bit off, so I can't relate to the 'addiction' side of things. We were never big fizzy drink consumers in my house growing up either, so I don't know if it's a 'replacement of sugar' thing that I've heard in anecdotes before.

I can relate though to eating a lot of one food, cutting it out then when eating it again, feeling different. For me that's cheese and dairy products. There seems to be a certain level I can tolerate before it starts to affect my mood and I get disorganised thinking and panicky/anxious. So maybe there is a connection between the diet soft drink and your symptoms today (yesterday? hard to tell with time differences ).

In any case, I'd stay away from it for now, and keep notes on how you feel the next time you decide to indulge in some diet pepsi. If you feel unwell (provided they weren't a mixer with some alcohol!) then maybe you have a sensitivity to an ingredient in the soft drink and you would be better off staying away from it.

ETA: I wonder too if could be a psychological thing rather than physical? You know, for the sugar cravings? You cut out the soft drinks for a few weeks and finally indulged and now your brains kind of going "Ooh! You know what else would be good that we haven't have in a while? Sweets! Cake! High Calorie food! Come on now, you've been working so hard... treat yourself, you deserve it..." Lol, I dunno, my brain talks to me like that sometimes! :laugh:

adstott

I loved diet coke anything and drank it all the time, however I started to realize it wasn't making me feel to well so I stopped drinking soda honestly I don't really miss it. You'll get there!

nbrown88ca

Obviously putting man made chemicals into your system even if they do originate from natural products but are modified is not good for you.

Everyone can argue all day about scientific crap but honestly eat what you want if you get cancer and die its your choice. If you live to 100 eating chemicals then so be it but everyone obviouosly knows pop is not good for you... diet or not, its disgusting and if you are putting it into your body then you are accepting the outcome.

Of course you are feeling like **** after a week of not drinking it, its your body telling you WTF are you doing.

RllyGudTweetr

Obviously putting man made chemicals into your system even if they do originate from natural products but are modified is not good for you.

How, and why, is this obvious? Please clarify.

nbrown88ca

if its not obvious to you then i suggest reading up on the paleo lifestyle...

I dont really need to clarify why its bad... its common sense and if thats something you lack then no further discussion is needed.

Fullsterkur_woman

if its not obvious to you then i suggest reading up on the paleo lifestyle...

Oh. OK. Shall I also give up antibiotics, dental care, vision correction, modern clothing and shelter and advanced tool use too?