Health Effects Of Diet Drinks

As the name suggests, diet drinks are often consumed by dieters, or those wishing to lose weight. Additionally, certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, involve a reduced intake of sugar, and because diet drinks are generally sweet and sugar-free, they would seem to make the perfect refreshment. However, some of the ingredients that appear on the labels of many popular brands pose health risks that should not be ignored.

Nerve Damage

The artificial sweetener aspartame is a common ingredient in many diet drinks. Other names include NutraSweet and Equal. Aspartame is made up of the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine. According to the Aspartame Information Center, a diet beverage sweetened with aspartame has less of these amino acids than either milk or tomato juice. However, because these amino acids occur in isolation in the sweetener, consuming aspartame may cause toxic buildup and lead to nerve damage and a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Hypocalcemia and Kidney Stones

Phosphoric acid is another ingredient common to soft drinks, including diet drinks such as Diet Coke. Phosphorus binds calcium in the blood, causing low blood calcium -- a condition known as hypocalcemia. Your body's response is to leech calcium from your bones. The result is weakening of the bones, or osteoporosis. Calcium is then excreted in your urine, which can predispose to kidney stones. In fact, those who consumed the highest quantities of phosphate-based drinks had the highest rate of kidney stone recurrence, according to a study published in a 1993 edition of the "New England Journal of Medicine."

Anxiety, Restlessness, Irritability

Caffeine is a common ingredient in many diet drinks, which have as much caffeine per serving as regular versions. Popular brands like Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi contain about 35 mg of caffeine per 12-oz. serving. Other brands, including Diet Mountain Dew, contain over 50 mg. Though adverse effects of consuming too much caffeine are usually associated with doses as large as 500 or 600 mg per day, if you are caffeine-sensitive, even small amounts can cause symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, irritability and insomnia, according to MayoClinic.com.