While diet cola has no calories, it can cause numerous problems to your system. This has led to a debate about whether it is actually a healthy alternative to regular soda. Instead of substituting one cola for another, gradually decrease your total intake of sodas and increase the amount of water in your diet.
Diarrhea
Diet drinks contain sugar alcohols. They cannot be fully absorbed by your body, so they carry fewer calories than regular sugars. Excessive amounts of sugar alcohols can cause diarrhea, gas and bloating. Marcelle Pick, NP, states that "sorbitol is a natural laxative and can cause diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, and flatulence." High amounts of these sugar substitutes adversely affect your digestive system.
Kidney Function
The Nurses' Health Study, conducted by Harvard researchers on nurses who drank two or more diet sodas daily, "found that there was a link between artificially sweetened soda and a weakening of kidney function." Diet soda is a diuretic, and drinking even one serving can cause your kidneys to work harder to dispose of it. This is especially an issue if you are diabetic or have other kidney problems.
Calcium Deficiency
Soda is high in phosphorus. Phosphorus and calcium work to keep your bones strong. If there is a problem with your kidneys, your body has a hard time disposing of the excess phosphorus, which causes your calcium levels to decrease. To compensate, your body will pull calcium from your bones, leaving them calcium-deficient.
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