Can diet sodas ruin your diet?

**FitRN** · 07-01-2006, 06:13 PM

I am a nurse and at times I survive by caffeine alone. I love diet sodas (coke zero, diet cherry coke, pibb zero). It also at times curbs my starving tummy and cures my sweet tooth. I know there is sodium in them and aspartame as well, not good. I've also tried the diet coke with splenda but really don't care for the taste.
If I stick to one a day is it ok? I know that no soda is better, but I don't know if I can handle this. I know that carbonation makes you bloated as well.
Will it dramatically affect my results if I follow a good diet (i.e. princess's cutting diet on the female forum).
Any knowledge on this subject is welcome. I guess I need to know if I need to kick the habit or if I can continue as long as it is in moderation!

**JohnboyF** · 07-01-2006, 06:21 PM

you can keep it. I have read alot of mods/vets on here drink it. It helps them get through dieting. So i would say drink up...(reaches for a diet coke)

**JohnboyF** · 07-01-2006, 06:26 PM

Here are some addition readings to verify.. You just wanna make sure your getting the water intake you need. But it seems like you are.

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...highlight=Coke

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...highlight=Coke

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...highlight=Coke

http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...highlight=Coke

Pretty much its all sums it up and says its all good.!

**mick-g** · 07-01-2006, 06:37 PM

I would say that the chemicals in it are'nt good for your body, but its better than the ones with sugars in them. One a day i can't see any probs.

**DNoMac** · 07-01-2006, 08:19 PM

Not a problem. However, if you need the caffeine, why not just drink coffee? There have been lots of threads on the dangers of artificial sweeteners: from the studies I've found, aspartame can be harmful. Splenda is ok. I use splenda, and of course aspartame in most of the diet sodas I drink. Like mick said, it's better than the alternative.

**JohnboyF** · 07-01-2006, 08:23 PM

Hey Dno,

The aspartame levels, I think webb posted this. Have too be an obseen amont to actually be harmful to you.

**DNoMac** · 07-01-2006, 08:25 PM

Do you have a link? I don't sweat it anyways. I assumed the levels in diet drinks were arbitrary. I'll dig up the study I read and see what levels they used in the experiment.

**DNoMac** · 07-01-2006, 08:30 PM

The conclusion is in the last few sentences. It states that as little as 20mg/kg body weight (which is much less than current acceptable intake) can be harmful. Any idea how much is in diet sodas?

Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center, European Ramazzini Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy. [email protected]

The Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center of the European Ramazzini Foundation has conducted a long-term bioassay on aspartame (APM), a widely used artificial sweetener. APM was administered with feed to 8-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats (100-150/sex/group), at concentrations of 100,000, 50,000, 10,000, 2,000, 400, 80, or 0 ppm. The treatment lasted until natural death, at which time all deceased animals underwent complete necropsy. Histopathologic evaluation of all pathologic lesions and of all organs and tissues collected was routinely performed on each animal of all experimental groups. The results of the study show for the first time that APM, in our experimental conditions, causes a) an increased incidence of malignant-tumor-bearing animals with a positive significant trend in males (p < or = 0.05) and in females (p < or = 0.01), in particular those females treated at 50,000 ppm (p < or = 0.01); b) an increase in lymphomas and leukemias with a positive significant trend in both males (p < or = 0.05) and females (p < or = 0.01), in particular in females treated at doses of 100,000 (p < or = 0.01), 50,000 (p < or = 0.01), 10,000 (p < or = 0.05), 2,000 (p < or = 0.05), or 400 ppm (p < or = 0.01); c) a statistically significant increased incidence, with a positive significant trend (p < or = 0.01), of transitional cell carcinomas of the renal pelvis and ureter and their precursors (dysplasias) in females treated at 100,000 (p < or = 0.01), 50,000 (p < or = 0.01), 10,000 (p < or = 0.01), 2,000 (p < or = 0.05), or 400 ppm (p < or = 0.05); and d) an increased incidence of malignant schwannomas of peripheral nerves with a positive trend (p < or = 0.05) in males. The results of this mega-experiment indicate that APM is a multipotential carcinogenic agent, even at a daily dose of 20 mg/kg body weight, much less than the current acceptable daily intake. On the basis of these results, a reevaluation of the present guidelines on the use and consumption of APM is urgent and cannot be delayed.

**JohnboyF** · 07-01-2006, 08:39 PM

Thanks bud i can try to find it actually i dont sweat it. I think aspartame is the least of our worries

**spittin' 'n cussin'** · 07-01-2006, 09:59 PM

yeah im gonna worry about aspartame while im stickin this pin in my ass...

just kiddin, kinda...but seriously folks i saw on tv the other day that caffiene is bad to drink before a workout because something like it makes it harder for blood to flow as it should and makes it hard on your heart. sorry i dont have any links nor do i remember what show i saw it on. ill look for it

**spittin' 'n cussin'** · 07-01-2006, 10:00 PM

btw i live off of diet mountain dew

**DNoMac** · 07-01-2006, 10:11 PM

Diet Md is the shit!! Yea, I've read similar studies about caffeine. If ingested (I believe an hour to 1.5 hrs before workout) it reduces the flow of blood to the heart. I'm not exactly sure how much it reduces, but any reduction is no good. I try to avoid caffeine in the afternoon anyways (I lift in the pm). I'll see if I can find something on this

**FromFleshtoSteel** · 07-02-2006, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by DNoMac

Diet Md is the shit!! Yea, I've read similar studies about caffeine. If ingested (I believe an hour to 1.5 hrs before workout) it reduces the flow of blood to the heart. I'm not exactly sure how much it reduces, but any reduction is no good. I try to avoid caffeine in the afternoon anyways (I lift in the pm). I'll see if I can find something on this

That's why they put the aspirin in the ECA stack

**IronAdam** · 07-02-2006, 12:45 PM

A cup of coffee pre workout (for us early morning guys) is nothing to worry about. Most of the studies that you hear about on the news referring to caffeine reducing blood flow to the heart are blown out of proportion, for...you guessed it, TV ratings. Additionally, caffeine has be proven to be beneficial for your liver. And about the aspartame, the danger lies in the chemicals released when it is metabolized. The studies make a big stink about the methanol (wood alcohol) being released, but what they fail to mention is that there is more methanol present naturally in a peach.

I'll continue to enjoy my diet pop and coffee. Life's to short to be worrying about this crap anyway.

**DNoMac** · 07-02-2006, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by FromFleshtoSteel

That's why they put the aspirin in the ECA stack

WOrd?

Ironadam- It's also good for the pancreas as well. There was just an article on yahoo about this a few days ago.

**spittin' 'n cussin'** · 07-02-2006, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by IronAdam

A cup of coffee pre workout (for us early morning guys) is nothing to worry about. Most of the studies that you hear about on the news referring to caffeine reducing blood flow to the heart are blown out of proportion, for...you guessed it, TV ratings. Additionally, caffeine has be proven to be beneficial for your liver. And about the aspartame, the danger lies in the chemicals released when it is metabolized. The studies make a big stink about the methanol (wood alcohol) being released, but what they fail to mention is that there is more methanol present naturally in a peach.

I'll continue to enjoy my diet pop and coffee. Life's to short to be worrying about this crap anyway.

can u back all this up?

**FitRN** · 07-02-2006, 07:29 PM

Thank you guys for the feedback. I don't know if I could survive somedays without a diet soda. I am going to continue enjoying them despite the aspartame, I know it's not the greatest for you, but I'm willing to take the risk for my own sanity.

**IronAdam** · 07-02-2006, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by spittin' 'n cussin'

can u back all this up?

If I cared to look up all the studies and provide links for all those too useless to seek them out and read for themselves. What I've stated is what I believe after reading many articles and studies concerning the issues. The effects of caffeine and aspartame are usually hotly debated which is why I usually stay out of these threads. If you seek the truth research the subject and draw your own conclusions.

**Jakt** · 07-03-2006, 02:45 PM

um i have it time to time... my gf told me that they did a study and it keeps u from loosing weight when compared to just drinking water... idk... there are so many studies out there....

**spittin' 'n cussin'** · 07-03-2006, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by IronAdam

If I cared to look up all the studies and provide links for all those too useless to seek them out and read for themselves. What I've stated is what I believe after reading many articles and studies concerning the issues. The effects of caffeine and aspartame are usually hotly debated which is why I usually stay out of these threads. If you seek the truth research the subject and draw your own conclusions.

i dont mind researching on my own but u cant spout off random shit without backing it up or stating that it is just your opinion...a big no no

**rar1015** · 07-03-2006, 07:15 PM

I have completly stopped drinking soda, diet or not. I will just drink some coffee once in a while with nothing but some splenda in it and that works just fine for me.

**novastepp** · 07-03-2006, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by IronAdam

If I cared to look up all the studies and provide links for all those too useless to seek them out and read for themselves. What I've stated is what I believe after reading many articles and studies concerning the issues. The effects of caffeine and aspartame are usually hotly debated which is why I usually stay out of these threads. If you seek the truth research the subject and draw your own conclusions.

i think he just wanted to know where you got that information bro. and u even stated again that "after reading many articles and studies"... i was also wondering if u had any on hand. if not that's ok.

**spound** · 07-03-2006, 11:29 PM

I drink 3-5 diet sodas a day plus 2 quarts of crystal light while dieting...hasnt affected me any....

**STYLE74** · 07-04-2006, 05:16 AM

Mostly all of the soda companies use aspartame in there diet soda's but i think they are getting wise and trying to switch over to splenda because diet 7up wich i love now uses splenda and they used to use aspartame. I think splenda taste really good it's all i use to sweeten my drinks and my cereal.

**Kärnfysikern** · 07-04-2006, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by IronAdam

If I cared to look up all the studies and provide links for all those too useless to seek them out and read for themselves. What I've stated is what I believe after reading many articles and studies concerning the issues. The effects of caffeine and aspartame are usually hotly debated which is why I usually stay out of these threads. If you seek the truth research the subject and draw your own conclusions.

that must be the crappiest attitude I have ever seen.

while I agree mostly with your first post there is realy no reason to reply like that.

**IronAdam** · 07-04-2006, 10:39 AM

Most of what I've read is from Muscular Development the magazine, and random internet articles. The reason why i said look for yourself is because people can interpret the facts their own way. There's an assload of studies on this floating around the internet, its a google search away. For every study or article that says aspartame is bad for you theres one saying its perfectly fine. Which is why I hardly post on topics about it. I'm sorry but I don't have time to shuffle through old magazines and search the internet because someone asked for proof. Like I said before the best thing would be to search and read and draw your own conclusions.

**IronAdam** · 07-04-2006, 10:56 AM

You guys made me feel bad

. So heres some reading material. Enjoy, I've got some cardio to do...after I drink my coffee

From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...120400950.html

"Coffee and tea may reduce the risk of serious liver damage in people who drink too much alcohol, are overweight or have too much iron in the blood, researchers reported yesterday.

The study of nearly 10,000 people showed that those who drank more than two cups of coffee or tea per day developed chronic liver disease at half the rate of those who drank less than one cup each day."

From: http://www.ific.org/publications/bro...feinebroch.cfm

"CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
A report from the National Research Council on Diet and Health stated, "evidence linking coffee consumption to the risk of coronary heart disease...is weak and inconsistent."

A 1989 report from the well-respected Framingham Heart Study examined all potential links between caffeine intake and cardiovascular disease, and found no harmful effects from drinking coffee. A later Harvard University study confirmed this report, concluding that caffeine intake does not "appreciably increase the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke."

Caffeine does not cause chronic hypertension or any persistent increase in blood pressure. Some individuals sensitive to caffeine may experience a short-lived rise in blood pressure, usually not lasting more than several hours. Studies show any rise in blood pressure is modest and less than that normally experienced when climbing stairs.

However, individuals with high blood pressure should consult their physician about caffeine intake."

From: MD May '06

" Several recent studies have supported the health benefits of coffee drinking. One study found that coffee drinking reduced the risk of breast cancer, while another suggested that it prevented type 2 diabetes. Scientists can't agree on whether coffee harms or promotes health. Some studies found it increased the risk of heart attack and sudden death, while others found it beneficial for the heart. Coffee drinking has been linked to elevated, reduced and unchanged blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Swiss researchers found that giving subjects 200 milligrams of caffeine reduced blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardial flow reserve). The finding was even more pronounced at altitude. Caffeine increases the release of hormones called catecholamines, which cause blood vessel constriction. These findings do not necessarily mean that coffee drinking is bad for the heart." (J Amer Col, 47:405-410, 2006)

Ref: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-clb011306.php

http://www.acc.org/ (run a search here)

The effects of caffeine on lowering pain: http://www.latimes.com/features/heal...h-fitness-news

Lowering risk of diabetes: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...607020413/1012

Good link about aspartame with follow up links at the bottom: http://home.howstuffworks.com/question536.htm

JAMA search for "coffee"
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/search?fulltext=coffee

JAMA search for aspartame
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/search?fulltext=aspartame

MSSE Search on coffee:
http://www.ms-se.com/pt/re/msse/searchresults.htm;jsessionid=GqkGZQLWqP7hwzxpn8bt4 76xFkWp3wZdBCF4tyGfQYGqsppsnVMh!-1734750035!-949856144!8091!-1?&index=1&results=1&searchid=1

**HereWeGoAgain** · 07-07-2006, 01:27 AM

I've been wondering this also, how much effect would a diet soda have on you? I wouldn't imagine much. I am cutting also, and try to stay clear of soda completely just because of the "bloating" from carbonation, but if its not an issue, I'd love a diet soda a day!