The United States is the leading country in soft drink intake, with an average consumption of approximately 15 oz. per day, according to The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Although most people assume that drinking diet soda is an effective way to lose weight and safely remove calories from the diet, this is not the case. The consumption of diet soda is accompanied by many potential negative health side effects.
Artificial Sweeteners
Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners in place of sugar. While there is still some controversy surrounding the issue of artificial sweeteners, studies have shown them to cause bladder cancer and brain tumors in laboratory animals. Other side effects of consuming artificial sweeteners include dizziness, memory loss, diarrhea, headaches, anxiety attacks, joint pain and alterations in mood.
Caffeine
It is important to note that the most common diet sodas contain approximately 45 mg per 12-oz. serving, according to Mayo Clinic. This is about half the amount of caffeine contained in an average cup of coffee. Consuming diet sodas along with other caffeinated beverages and foods, such as coffee, tea or chocolate, can greatly increase your daily caffeine intake. Too much caffeine in the diet leads to anxiety, dizziness, irritability, inability to concentrate, headaches, trouble sleeping and gastrointestinal problems, according to the Columbia University Health Services. Aside from the immediate effects of too much caffeine, the withdrawal from caffeine can also cause negative side effects, such as fatigue, irritability and extreme headaches.
Acidity
Diet sodas are acidic. Excess acid can be hard on the digestive system. For the generally healthy person, this only becomes a problem with excessive intake of diet sodas; however, those with gastrointestinal problems, such as acid reflux, indigestion or ulcers can exacerbate their conditions by consuming only small amounts of diet sodas. Acidic beverages are also hard on tooth enamel, which can cause decaying or rotting of the teeth, leading to cavities.
Long-Term Danger
Increased soft drink consumption has been credited as a major factor in the development of osteoporosis. Soft drinks, whether diet or regular, have been shown to lead to lower calcium levels and increase phosphate levels in the blood, according to The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. High phosphate levels combined with low calcium levels cause calcium to be pulled out of the bone, which weakens it. The caffeine present in diet soft drinks acts as a diuretic and also causes calcium loss through the kidneys. Diet sodas are also high in sodium. Too much sodium in the diet may cause more calcium to be excreted, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis.
Misconceptions
Although most people believe that drinking diet soda leads to weight loss, this is not the case. With only approximately 5 calories per serving, diet soda does not directly contribute excessive calories to the diet; however, the consumption of sweet beverages has been shown to cause an increased desire for other sweetened foods and beverages. The sweetened beverage can also cause greater hunger during the day as the body begins to feel deprived of the calories normally associated with sweet taste.
Considerations
Lack of proper nutrition can result from the chronic drinking of diet soda. Diet soda provides no calories, but it provides no nutrition either. There are no healthful ingredients in diet soda. When diet soda is chosen as a primary beverage, this leaves less room for better choices, such as milk, tea or water, beverages that contain nutritional value.
References
- Organic Consumers Association: The Health Hazards of Drinking Coca-Cola and other Soft Drinks
- MayoClinic: Diet Soda: Is it bad for you?
- Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders: Sugar and Fat Substitutes
- Columbia Health Services Go Ask Alice: Caffeine's effects on health
- MayoClinic: Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more
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