The Sickening Side-Effects of Diet Fizzy Drinks

Amy Taylor April 25, 2013

Last February, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges which represents nearly every doctor in the UK, called for the banning of advertisements that promote fizzy drinks (diet or not) and levying higher taxes on the sale of these products. In their report, the Academy emphasised that Britain is one of the most obese nations in the world, and that current statistics will increase by fifty per cent in 2050 if the trend continues. British health professionals fear that the health effects of fizzy drinks will pose dire death consequences in the nation.

Harmful Side Effects of Fizzy Drinks

People who drink diet fizzy drinks expose themselves to the following health concerns:

Obesity

Ironically, fizzy drinks that are supposed to be ‘diet-friendly’ are causing thousands of people to gain excessive weight. That’s what the Texas Health Science Centre discovered in their research. They found that the more fizzy drinks a person consumes, the more likely he or she will become obese. In another study by the Purdue University involving animal models, it was found that consuming two or more cans of these fizzy drinks increased waistlines by unbelievably 500 per cent. According to the researchers, artificial sweeteners disrupt the body’s natural ability to regulate calorie intake based on the sweetness of food. This increases the likelihood of a person to binge-eat.

Kidney Failure

In a study conducted by the Harvard Medical School involving over 3,000 women, researchers found a three-fold increase in the risk of kidney failure in those who consumed 2 cans of fizzy drink per day. Surprisingly, this effect was not seen in women who consumed regular fizzy drinks. The researchers suspect that it is the artificial sweetener used in diet drinks that is responsible for the elevated risk of kidney problems.

Cell Damage

Unlike most regular drinks, diet fizzy drinks contain mould inhibitors which go by the names ‘sodium benzoate’ or ‘potassium benzoate’. According to a 1999 study by the University of Sheffield, these chemicals may cause severe DNA damage in the mitochondria. They may also trigger hives, asthma and other allergic symptoms, according the Centre for Science in the Public Interest. The Food Commission also classifies the same chemicals as mild irritants to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

Fertility Problems

Diet or not, fizzy drinks are placed in a sealed container that is coated with endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA). It is an organic compound that has been shown to produce undesirable effects to the body. It is linked to heart disease, obesity and reproductive health issues, including reduced infertility, foetal loss, menstrual problem, and reproductive tract abnormalities.

Poor Metabolism

In 2008, researchers at the University of Minnesota found that just one diet fizzy drink a day can increase a person’s risk of metabolic syndrome by 34 per cent. Metabolic disorder is a combination of medical disorders that, when taking place at the same time, may result to cardiovascular problems.

Terrible Hangover

A study by the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia reveals that people who drink diet cocktails get drunk faster. This is again due to the artificial sweeteners present in these products. They allow the alcohol to easily enter the bloodstream than regular sugar does, quickly activating the effects of alcohol.

Tooth decay

In a study analysis of dental care data, researchers at the University of Michigan found that adults who drank at least three cans of diet fizzy drink a day had the worst dental health. As compared to those who consume less, fizzy drinkers had the most fillings, more missing teeth, and worse problems with tooth decay.

Diet fizzy drinks may sound like a healthy option as manufacturers brag about the ‘no-sugar’ and ‘zero calorie’ labels. But the picture is getting clearer now – diet fizzy drinks are no better option at all. The studies presented here only proves that diet fizzy drinks can be equally or even more harmful than the regular fizzy drinks. As a matter of fact, they have more sickening side effects.

Dear Readers,

Do you think that changes in policies are the best way to discourage the public from consuming fizzy drinks and other unhealthy products? Why or why not?

Share your thoughts by posting a comment below!