A Harvard-educated gastroenterologist has taken to TikTok to share four shocking reasons why you should never drink diet soda.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a California-based GI doctor and popular health care influencer, was asked if diet soda is a “healthier alternative” to regular soda.
It’s a hard no, folks, and here are four reasons why, according to Seth.
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 a day face a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
His claim builds on previous 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 compared to people who never drink, the risk of early death is 16% higher for diet drinkers.
2. Increased risk of kidney diseases
Sethi added that “high phosphorus content in diet sodas may contribute to chronic kidney disease.”
This argument is supported by a study published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, which found a direct link between diet soda and early kidney disease.
In addition to damaging the kidneys, when consumed in large quantities, phosphoric acid, which is commonly used to restore rusted metals, remove hard water stains and remove mineral deposits, weakens bones by stripping them of calcium.
3. Disrupts the intestinal biome
Says Sethi, “Diet sodas can negatively affect insulin sensitivity and disrupt the gut microbiome, affecting gut health.”
This argument is based on university research that found that 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 are critical to overall health and well-being, with a compromised gut biome linked to a variety of problems, including obesity, bowel disease and Alzheimer’s.
4. It 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 receptors in the brain that trigger food cravings. The fact that most people believe that drinks are healthier also leads to overconsumption.
And there seems to be no end to the bad news.
Researchers at the University of Southern California found that carbon dioxide can also affect nerves. The California team found this The carbon dioxide in fizzy drinks triggers the same pain sensors in the nose as mustard and horseradish, potentially triggering a stress response in the body.
Another sour note on the sweet fizz? Artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened beverages, in particular, are linked to an increased risk of depression, with researchers suggesting that these chemicals trigger certain transmissions in the brain that can lead to depression.
The good doctor puts the nail in the coffin of diet soda by concluding, “At the end of the day, diet sodas offer no nutritional benefits.”
He is quick to note that regular soda is not a better choice and that consumers should limit or eliminate their intake of both.
#doctor #shouldnt #drink #diet #soda #reasons
Image Source : nypost.com