In one study, participants who started out normal weight and drank three diet sodas a day were twice as likely to be overweight or obese eight years later as their non-diet-soda drinking peers. Some skeptical scientists point out that association is not the same as causation. Maybe not, but researchers have developed several theories that could very well explain why drinking diet soda causes weight gain. One or more of them are likely enough to be true that everyone who drinks diet soda should consider stopping now.
Insulin, secreted by the pancreas, is how the human body stores sugar. When the taste of artificial sweeteners in soda, yogurt, or anything else hits your brain, it automatically sends a signal to your pancreas to begin producing insulin. Insulin is what tells our cells to either use sugar as food or store it as fat--without it, our bodies can't process the sugar that lands in our bloodstreams.
When your pancreas produces insulin to deal with anticipated sugar, but then no sugar arrives, it confuses your body and disrupts its metabolic process. This may explain why several studies have shown a link between regularly drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome, a collection of symptoms that includes larger waist circumference, higher blood pressure, and higher blood sugar.
You probably know or have observed that the more regularly you taste something sweetness, saltiness, etc. Some use sugar and sweetener together. For example, one can of Coca-Cola Life, which contains the natural sweetener stevia , contains 90 calories and 24 grams of sugar 2. Diet soda is a mixture of carbonated water, artificial or natural sweeteners, colors, flavors, and extra components like vitamins or caffeine.
Most varieties contain zero or very few calories and no significant nutrition. Because diet soda is usually calorie-free, it would be natural to assume it could aid weight loss. However, research suggests the association may not be so straightforward. Several observational studies have found that using artificial sweeteners and drinking high amounts of diet soda is associated with an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome 7 , 8 , 9 , Scientists have suggested that diet soda may increase appetite by stimulating hunger hormones, altering sweet taste receptors, and triggering dopamine responses in the brain 11 , 12 , 13 , Given that diet soft drinks have no calories, these responses may cause a higher intake of sweet or calorie-dense foods, resulting in weight gain.
However, evidence of this is not consistent in human studies 5 , 11 , The weight gain they experience may be caused by their existing dietary habits — not diet soda 16 , Experimental studies do not support the claim that diet soda causes weight gain. In fact, these studies have found that replacing sugar-sweetened drinks with diet soda can result in weight loss 18 , One study had overweight participants drink 24 ounces mL of diet soda or water per day for 1 year.
At the end of the study, the diet soda group had experienced an average weight loss of Studies funded by the artificial sweetener industry have been found to have more favorable outcomes than non-industry studies, which may undermine the validity of their results Overall, more high quality research is needed to determine the true effects of diet soda on weight loss. Observational studies link diet soda with obesity.
Experimental studies show positive effects on weight loss, but these might be influenced by industry funding. Although diet soda has no calories, sugar, or fat, it has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease in several studies. However, this was still half the risk associated with regular sugary drinks.
Other studies have observed similar results 24 , 25 , 26 , Conversely, a recent review found that diet soda is not associated with an increased risk of diabetes.
Also, another study concluded that any association could be explained by the existing health status, weight changes, and body mass index of participants 28 , Other studies have found similar results 30 , 31 , Additionally, one study has linked diet soda to a small increase in the risk of stroke, but this was only based on observational data Because most of the studies were observational, it may be that the association could be explained another way.
Observational studies have linked diet soda to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of stroke. They may be due to preexisting risk factors like obesity.
A recent study analyzed the diets of 15, people and found that the risk of developing end-stage kidney disease increased with the number of glasses of diet soda consumed per week. Compared with those who consumed less than one glass per week, people who drank more than seven glasses of diet soda per week had nearly double the risk of developing kidney disease With Katherine Zeratsky, R.
Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Artificial sweeteners and cancer. National Cancer Institute. Accessed July 3, Mooradian AD, et al.
The role of artificial and natural sweeteners in reducing the consumption of table sugar: A narrative review. Lohner S, et al. Health outcomes of non-nutritive sweeteners: Analysis of the research landscape.
Nutrition Journal. Zeratsky KA expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Yu E, et al. Cardiovascular disease prevention by diet modification. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. High-intensity sweeteners. Food and Drug Administration. See also MIND diet may cut Alzheimer's risk 3 diet changes women over 50 should make right now 3 key changes in the new Nutrition Facts label Healthy-eating habits Reduce sugar in your diet Acai berries Added sugar Alcohol use Alkaline water Are energy drinks bull?
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