Page 3 of 7
The Effects of Diet Soda on Health
Negative effects on teeth are only one downside to drinking diet soda. Your waistline may be affected, too – adversely. For instance, Dr. Mark Wiley, MSM, OMD, PhD, reported on a study in which “there was a 70 percent greater increase in waist circumference among those who drank diet soft drinks as compared to those who didn't.” {relatedarticles}
And according to Prevention, there are six other reasons you might want to steer clear of drinking diet soda:
- DNA Damage – Diet sodas may damage your DNA. If it sounds scary, that's because it is. Diet sodas contain a chemical that regular sodas don't: mold inhibitors. These chemicals, or preservatives, can severely damage cells and lead to allergies, hives, asthma and skin/eye irritation.
- Kidney Problems – Researchers found that diet soda consumption can double the risk of kidney function decline, which they speculate is due to the artificial sweeteners diet soda contains.
- Obesity Culprit – Diet soda may be touted as a good substitute while dieting, but the artificial sweeteners in the drink can affect a person's sensitivity to sweetness and lead to overeating.
