A Harvard-educated gastroenterologist has taken to TikTok to share the four shocking reasons you should never drink diet soda.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a California-based GI doctor and popular healthcare influencer, was asked whether diet soda is a “healthier alternative” to regular soda.
It’s a hard no, folks, and here are the four reasons why, according to Sethi.
1. Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
In the clip, Sethi, who has more than 400,000 followers, explained that women who drink “two or more diet sodas daily face a significantly higher risk of heart attack and strokes.”
His claim is based on earlier research that found two or more artificially sweetened drinks increased the risk of stroke by a quarter and heart disease by a third.
The same study found that in comparison to people who never touch them, the risk of early death is 16% higher for diet drink devotees.
2. Increased risk of kidney disease
Sethi added that “the high phosphorus content in diet sodas can contribute to chronic kidney disease.”
This argument is supported by a study published in the science journal PLOS ONE, which found a direct link between diet soda and early-onset kidney disease.
In addition to compromising kidneys, when consumed in large quantities, phosphoric acid, which is commonly used to restore rusty metals, remove hard water stains, and remove mineral deposits, weakens bones by stripping them of calcium.
3. Disrupts the gut biome
Sethi imparts, “Diet sodas can negatively impact insulin sensitivity and disrupt the gut microbiome, affecting your gut health.”
This argument draws on university research that found the six artificial sweeteners commonly used in diet drinks — aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, neotame, advantage and acesulfame potassium-k — are all toxic to gut bacteria.
Gut bacteria is critical to overall health and wellness, with a compromised gut biome linked to a slew of troubles, including obesity, bowel diseases and Alzheimer’s.
4. Can increase cravings
Need another reason to say no to diet soda?
Sethi explains, “They can increase cravings for high-calorie foods, disrupting appetite control.”
While diet sodas contain fewer calories than their sugary counterparts, research shows they can still trigger the receptors in the brain that cause food cravings. The fact that most people believe the drinks are healthier also tends to lead to over-consumption.
And there’s seemingly no end to the bad news.
Researchers at the University of Southern California found that soda’s fizz can also affect nerves. The California team found that the carbon dioxide in fizzy drinks sets off the same pain sensors in the nose as mustard and horseradish, potentially invoking a stress response in the body.
Another sour note about the sweet fizz? Artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened beverages, in particular, are associated with an increased risk of depression, with researchers suggesting that these chemicals spur certain transmissions in the brain that can lead to depression.
The good doctor puts the nail in the diet soda coffin by concluding, “Ultimately, diet sodas offer no nutritional benefits.”
He quickly notes that regular soda is not a better choice and that consumers should limit or eliminate their intake of both.
