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Caffeine and Aspartame Side Effects in Diet Soda

Mar 31, 2011 | By Maura Shenker
Caffeine and Aspartame Side Effects in Diet Soda
Photo Credit glass of soda image by Kalani from Fotolia.com

Diet soda may not be inherently bad for you, but it does contain caffeine -- an addicitve drug -- and aspartame, which is linked to more than 90 different side effects, claims Dr. Janet Hull, author of "Sweet Poison: How The World's Most Popular Artificial Sweetener Is Killing Us." MayoClinic.com states that diet soda "...isn't a health drink or a silver bullet for weight loss and that drinking more than one soda a day -- regular or diet -- increases your risk of obesity and related health problems such as type 2 diabetes."

Aspartame Ingredients

Aspartame is made of three basic components: 40 percent aspartic acid, 50 percent phenylalanine and 10 percent methanol. Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is a deadly neurotoxin that breaks down into formaldehyde in the body, according to Dr. Mercola. Aspartic acid and phenylalanine are both amino acids that affect neurotransmitters in the brain by destroying neurons. Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, categorizes aspartame as an "excitotoxin" because it stimulates, or "excites", neural cells to death.

Side Effects of Aspartame

Aspartic acid is linked to chronic illnesses affected by neural loss such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, dementia and neuroendocrine disorders. Other side effects of aspartame include headaches, migraines, gastric distress, abdominal pains, vision problems, anxiety attacks, depression, fatigue and sleep issues.

Caffeine

Caffeine may be safe in moderation, but MedLine Plus states that too much caffeine consumption may lead to an accelerated heart rate, excessive urination, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, tremors, restlessness and difficulty sleeping. Caffeine is an addictive drug that may affect your reproductive health and is linked to birth defects and poor behavior in children. Reduce your use of caffeine gradually to avoid symptoms, such as headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and vomiting.

Other Ingredients in Diet Soda

Aspartame is a potent neurotoxin and caffeine is an addictive stimulant, but there are other chemicals in diet soda you should be aware of. Citric acid and artificial flavors may contain MSG, another neurotoxin that contains aspartic acid. Phosphoric acid, associated with calcium loss, gives diet soda that "bite". The synthetic additives acetic, fumaric, gluconic and phosphoric acids all elevate stomach acid levels, which may lead to gastric distress and erosion of the stomach lining -- especially if consumed on an empty stomach.
Diet soda is a dehydrating diuretic which hinders digestion. (reference 6)

References

Article reviewed by Sarah Phillips Last updated on: Mar 31, 2011

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