There’s nothing quite like cracking open a cold can of diet soda. Some days, it feels like a reward for small victories. But we’ve all seen the scary reports about the possible negative impacts of diet-soda consumption. In fact, if you drink diet soda around enough people, someone will start going off about how bad it is for you. Diet soda may seem like a healthy and refreshing alternative to sugary soft drinks. However, it may not be quite as harmless as it seems, especially if you’re drinking several servings per day.
The Debate Around Diet Soda
Diet sodas are sugar-free or low-calorie versions of regular sodas, sweetened with artificial or natural low-calorie sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, or stevia. They are marketed as a healthier alternative to regular sodas, especially for individuals looking to reduce sugar intake or manage weight. Despite their calorie-free nature, diet sodas have been the subject of health debates.
Research so far has been inconclusive. Many studies link low-calorie soda consumption to certain health risks, but science has yet to prove definitively that drinking diet soda causes strokes, heart attacks, vascular disease or depression, as frequently reported. In this study and many others like it, reverse causality could provide a possible explanation. In other words, people who are already at great risk for disease (with pre-existing vascular disease, obesity or diabetes) made the switch from regular soda to diet soda. “But there are a ton of questions,” Moore says.
Potential Side Effects of Diet Soda Consumption
While occasional consumption of diet soda may not pose significant risks, frequent or excessive intake can have adverse effects. Here are some possible side effects of diet soda:
1. Gut Microbiome Disruption
The artificial sweeteners found in diet soda might negatively affect your gut microbiome, which is the community of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. According to researchers, the gut microbiome plays a key role in many aspects of health, including immune function, nutrient absorption, heart health, and more. Aspartame is one of the most common nonnutritive sweeteners in diet soda. One in vitro study of 13 individuals found that aspartame decreased production of Isobutyric acid, a type of short-chain fatty acid. Short-chain fatty acids play a role in preventing inflammatory diseases and regulating body weight. However, more studies are needed to understand how artificial sweeteners and diet soda may affect gut health in humans.
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2. Dental Health Concerns
Although diet soda doesn’t contain sugar like regular soda, it’s still highly acidic. The acidity in diet sodas, caused by phosphoric acid and citric acid, can erode tooth enamel over time. “There are a couple of specific acids that are commonly used in diet soda that give it that tart, tangy flavor we find appealing,” says Edmond Hewlett, D.D.S., an American Dental Association spokesperson and professor at the UCLA School of Dentistry. Unfortunately, these acids also have the potential to erode tooth enamel over time. This probably won’t happen if you have a diet soda occasionally, Hewlett says. This increases the risk of cavities and dental sensitivity, even though diet sodas are sugar-free. A 2020 study found that diet soda did not promote dental cavities among children.
3. Headaches
For some people, drinking multiple servings of diet soda per day could cause headaches. This may be due to certain artificial sweeteners found in diet soda, such as aspartame. One review noted that aspartame caused symptoms like headaches and migraines in those who took aspartame pills, particularly in those with neurological or psychiatric conditions. However, the review notes that some of the studies used aspartame pills, which release more aspartame into the body than you would get from drinking it in liquid form. Some studies have also found that caffeine, which is present in some diet sodas, could cause headaches for a small percentage of people.
4. Bone Health Issues
Diet soda contains several compounds that may negatively affect bone health and lead to bone loss. One study found that excessive caffeine intake can negatively affect bone health. Another study found that excessive phosphoric acid consumption could lead to the same thing. Diet sodas contain phosphoric acid, which may interfere with calcium absorption, potentially leading to weaker bones and an increased risk of osteoporosis, particularly in women.
5. Cardiovascular Complications
One 2021 study found that regularly consuming artificial alternative sweeteners, which are present in diet soda, is associated with a risk of developing cardiovascular complications. This includes glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. Some studies suggest a link between diet soda consumption and an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and hypertension. The exact mechanisms are unclear but may involve metabolic and vascular changes triggered by artificial sweeteners.
6. Metabolic Syndrome
Another study found that consumption of these sweeteners is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Regular consumption of diet soda has been associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels, which increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
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7. Increased Hunger and Sugar Cravings
Some research suggests that the artificial sweeteners found in diet soda may have the same effect on the food reward pathway in the brain as regular sugar. One study found that it can make food more palatable. This could lead to increased hunger and food intake. Additionally, because artificial sweeteners are significantly sweeter than regular sugar, researchers have suggested they might increase sugar cravings and dependence, making it much harder to reduce your intake.
8. Weight Gain
Scientists have found mixed results on whether drinking diet soda is associated with weight gain. One study found that habitual, long-term diet soda consumption was linked to increased body fat, including visceral fat. Although diet sodas are calorie-free, they may alter the brain's reward response to sweetness, increasing cravings for sugary or calorie-dense foods. This can lead to overeating and weight gain over time, contrary to their intended purpose.
9. Kidney Function
The high levels of phosphoric acid and artificial additives in diet sodas may strain kidney function over time, especially with excessive consumption. Studies have suggested an association between diet soda and an increased risk of kidney disease.
10. Mental Health Issues
Aspartame, a common artificial sweetener in diet sodas, has been associated with mood changes, anxiety, and depression in some studies. The chemical's impact on brain neurotransmitters may explain these effects.
11. Dehydration
Diet sodas often contain caffeine, a diuretic that can lead to increased urination and potential dehydration. This is particularly concerning for individuals who rely on diet soda as their primary beverage instead of water.
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12. Stomach Lining Irritation
Drinking excessive amounts of diet soda can sometimes affect the lining of the stomach. “Over time, it can get irritated from the carbonation,” Valdez says. Heavy soda drinkers frequently develop indigestion, bloating and heartburn.
13. Heart Rate Increase
A can of Diet Coke has 46 mg of caffeine per 12-ounce can, according to Caffeine Informer. Diet Pepsi has 34 mg of caffeine per can. A 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke has 260 mg of caffeine. “Caffeine can increase the rate of their heart,” Valdez says. The recommended daily caffeine intake is around 400 milligrams of caffeine for most healthy adults, according to the Mayo Clinic.
14. Altered Glucose Processing
Scientists are finding more and more that the bacteria in our gut environment is a big part of the body’s microbiome-a delicate, complex ecosystem-and that too much diet soda may actually alter the digestive system’s ability to process glucose, the carbohydrate that’s our bodies’ main power source.
15. Compensation for Saved Calories
A study from the University of Illinois suggests that diet beverage drinkers often compensate for saved calories by eating more nutrient-poor foods, such as cookies, ice cream, fries and pastries. Isabel Valdez, a physician’s assistant and instructor in the department of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, finds this to be true in her experience. “Sometimes people have the impression that they’re drinking a diet soda and they can still eat extra food-foods that are high in fat, sugar and calories that are not healthy.
Staying Hydrated in the Heat
Connecticut is experiencing a heatwave this week, with temperatures in the 90s and some parts of the state breaking 100 degrees. Drinking plenty of water is the best thing you can do to help beat the summer heat. Dr. Robert Messey MD/JD spoke to the Hartford personal injury lawyers of Carter Mario Law Firm about how artificial sweeteners activate different patterns in the brain that normally correspond to sweet tastes. This means that artificial sweeteners don’t satisfy our sweet tooth as much as natural sugar would. If you’re trying to stay refreshed through the summer heatwave, water is the best thing for you.
Sweat a lot on a hot day, and most people know it makes sense to rehydrate and drink up to replace lost fluids. But soda does not help hydrate you. Grab a bottle of water or fill up your glass, and drink up. One in three adults are already living with high blood pressure. Researchers found that exercise in hot weather and soda consumption, only made the problem worse.
Alternatives to Diet Soda
There are plenty of simple steps you can take to decrease your intake of diet soda. Start by slowly swapping it for other drinks in your diet. Here are a few alternative drinks to consider:
- Flavored water
- Herbal tea
- Coconut water
- Seltzer water
- Kombucha
Look for versions of these drinks that either are unsweetened or have a lower sugar content. You can also try adding a splash of juice to water or seltzer. You can make flavored water by adding cucumber slices, fresh or frozen fruit, herbs like basil and mint, or citrus fruits like lime or lemon to plain or sparkling water for a hint of flavor without added sugar. It may also help to buy less soda when you go grocery shopping and stock up on healthy alternatives instead. This will make it much easier to reach for a different drink in place of diet soda when you feel thirsty.
If you hope to cut back on diet soda for any of these reasons or others, Moore suggests baby steps. “Whenever someone is trying to cut back on regular sodas or cut back on any type of cookies or treats, I usually recommend they take a slow approach rather than do it cold turkey, which is difficult,” she says. Tea is a smart alternative to diet soda because of the range of flavors. “Unpack your habit and see why you’re craving it every day,” Moore says. “Is it something sweet that you want? Is it the caffeine?