5) It has been linked to diabetes. Health cites a study where participants who drank just one diet soda a day had a 36% increased risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Metabolic syndrome describes a range of conditions including high blood pressure, elevated glucose and large waist circumference.
6) You’ll lose your sense of taste. According to Prevention, aspartame ranks 200 times sweeter than normal table sugar. Sucralose (AKA Splenda) is a massive 600 times sweeter. Moral of the story? Your tastebuds are overwhelmed with sweetness and other foods lose their flavor. Studies from Columbia University have also shown that diet soda alters the receptors in your brain so that instead of satisfying sugar cravings, it prolongs them.
7) It can cause kidney problems. A 2009 study of over 3,000 women showed a link between diet soda and kidney problems, Clark says. The women who drank two or more sodas every day had up to a 30% decline in kidney function.
8) Aspartame has been linked to headaches. Early studies have linked aspartame to migraines and headaches, according to Health. This may only act as a trigger for some people, but if you suffer from regular headaches it could be worth putting down that diet soda and seeing if it makes a difference. Prevention adds that laboratory studies have shown aspartame can alter brain chemicals, nerve signals and the brain’s reward system, leading to headaches.
9) It increases the risk of pre-term delivery. Authority Nutrition cites a study of nearly 60,000 pregnant women in Denmark, in which one diet soda per day was associated with a 38% increased risk of pre-term delivery. Four diet sodas per day increased the risk by 78%.
10) It’ll ruin your smile. Health cites a study in which the teeth of a cocaine user, a methamphetamine user, and a diet soda drinker were examined over time. Guess what? They all had the same level of tooth erosion. The citric acid in diet soda destroys the enamel on your teeth over time.
There is really only one justification used for drinking diet soda, and that is to reduce our sugar intake and combat the obesity crisis of today. But is that a valid justification when diet soda has been shown to contribute to obesity, heart disease, depression, and diabetes just as significantly as regular soda? Try steering away from soda altogether, and crave your thirst with good old H2O, moderate amounts of fresh, vitamin-rich fruit juice, or unsweetened iced tea, which is rich in antioxidants.
RESOURCES HEALTH, LIVE SCIENCE, AUTHORITY NUTRITION, AUTHORITY NUTRITION, PREVENTION, AND CLARK
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