Are Diet Sodas Making You Gain Weight?
This is based on this week’s video about a study about diet sodas and weight loss.
Many may say that weight gain is caused because of increased cravings and the sugar response of the brain from the artificial sweeteners (which may or may not be true). But if you start to see that weight gain around the face and center of the body (stomach especially) then there is another issue at heart. In fact if you are showing any signs of fatigue, headaches, muscle/join pain, loss of motivation….then you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue.
The adrenals are an important hormone most noted with it’s involvement with the “fight or flight” response. However when over activated (as it can be stimulated too much with stressors of many kinds) then you will see increased cortisol output. With increased cortisol also comes an increase in insulin resistance. If you “burn out” your adrenal glands then you will see your cortisol plummet and that will lead to fatigue (esp in the mornings) and ever increasing insulin resistance (which can also lead you down a road of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and many other degenerative illnesses). Artificial sweeteners are not something found in nature (hence called “artificial”) and the body is getting mixed signals on what it is consuming. They can have a negative effect on the adrenal glands which also support the thyroid (healthy metabolism)….as the body’s metabolic system is a very complex one of checks and balances. With a compromised thyroid comes even more weight gain down the road…and pretty soon you are in a state where weight loss is going to be very hard unless you correct the imbalances in your adrenal glands and thyroid (which means allowing them to heal and regain normal function while also reversing the insulin resistance you have created).
Also the liver is involved in any toxic substances we put into our body and this includes artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, preservatives, and so forth. Our body does not excrete all those toxins and keeps them running through us (they have to go somewhere), so the liver has to jump into action. Now the liver can only do so much before it gets overwhelmed (as we see with the buildup of fatty deposits from high intakes of High Fructose Corn Syrups), but did you know the liver is also an important fat burning organ? It is responsible for making key enzymes that help to release fat from fat cells to be used as energy in the body. But a sick liver will mean an impaired fat burning process and a body primed for increased weight gain.
So, even though all these little things are not going to kill us right away (so they are approved for mass consumption in our food supply) can we at least start to realize how they add up to put excess stress on our body and organs and cause our whole metabolic process to become disfunctional? (as that is most people’s issue nowadays) The answer is simple, to avoid artificial sweeteners (and all additives found in processed foods/drinks) as you don’t know what they may be doing to your metabolic system until the damage is really done. Eat real foods and let our body operate the way it was supposed to….but if you try to think you can outsmart it with “fake foods” and you are in for an unpleasant surprise (weight gain, insulin resistance, inflammation, brain disfunction, cancers, heart diseases, autoimmune diseases…and the list goes on and on until finally premature death). The name of the game is prevention and healthy living, not wait until it’s too late and hope there is some cure for us…..as we could be waiting for a long long time and live a very sick and expensive (with medical care and drugs) lifestyle.
photo by gadget
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so are we talking about *natural* non-caloric sweeteners too in this category of mixing up metabolism, etc.? i’ve never been sure about this part of it, but i use granulated stevia and am wondering if even something like that should be taken out of my diet…
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Robb – Stevia doesn’t seem to feed bad bacteria like sugar and other sweeteners may and seems to not promote an insulin response. I would still be careful of having processed foods/drinks with stevia (as they still contain other additives like coloring and preservatives, just read the label). But if you are adding stevia into natural foods for a bit more flavor it seems to be ok (until proven otherwise of course). Use in moderation also, as most things are best used that way.
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Mike,
I am going to forget I ever read this post. As a partially recovering Diet Coke addict, it is hard to face the truth. My body loves artificial sweetener!
Okay…so I have to face the hard facts that Diet Coke is bad for me?
Too painful!
Rusty
Just kidding…Good post buddy!
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Rusty – Too bad you won’t be coming around anymore……Ha! JK. I think you (and us all) just need to remember you/we are the sum of all parts, and your/our health is the same way. While one thing wont kill us most likely….used chronically and compiled with many other things lead to overwhelming your system internally. If we exercise and have a diet coke once or twice a week and are already lean, obviously we are better off to begin with than someone that is trying to lose weight and has a compromised metabolic process to begin with. In the end, best idea is to remove as much as we can…and if we think we are “addicted” to it (which is just a mental state of thinking you will be deprived of something), then just rotate it in our diets….like one day off with no diet coke, on day on with a diet coke…..then work to 2 days off, one day on……3 days off, one day on…..once a week…..pretty soon we will wonder why we missed it at all. I don’t think I am missing out on anything by never drinking diet sodas, and believe it or not I enjoy water (also I will get an instant migrane with any diet soda/art flavored-sweetener drink…..so I am a bit more sensitive than others, and that is my body’s way of telling me to not put that stuff in my body!)
It’s all personal choice about a life of prevention and health, while still trying to enjoy things time to time.
If that is the worst thing in your diet and you are eating clean and working out, you are probably going to be ok…but then again, no guarantees in life right?
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thanks mike – can’t say i thought a packet of stevia a day was gonna cause problems, but all the same it’s nice to have the option when you need to season something.
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I just dumped the rest of my Diet Coke down the sink.
I know I need to stop drinking them even if I have only one a day and the rest of my diet is very clean, but every day I get to the point where I. Just. Have. To. Have. One!
I really think that for some of us it IS an addiction. There’s something about the chemical composition of the artificial sweetener alone or in combination with the other chemicals in this crap that affects people like me more than others. I’m also prone to carbohydrate cravings and know if I start eating carbs I won’t want to stop. I never noticed the similarity before.
Mike, I respect you and like your site, but addiction is more than just a mental state. I’m sure you know that.
I’ll make an effort tomorrow to get through the day without a Diet Coke. I just put a big bottle of seltzer in the fridge to take with me to work and I won’t bring any change so I can raid the soda machine. If I can go a couple of days without a Diet Coke maybe I can break that craving, too.
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I guess the painful truth (for all of us) is that we may never have been built to eat more than a little sweet food, regardless of its origins. Our ancestors likely rarely came across sweet foods and when they did there was not enough of it around for binging to be a problem. Out sweet tooth has been created by modern socialisation and we keep looking for ways to indulge it when the fact is we just have to accept that we should not eat much sweet food, period. Fruit in moderation seems like the one luxury we can afford ourselves if we wish to be entirely in tune with our bodies.
I have been reading a little about artificial sweeteners and noticed that some are non-caloric because they ingest incompletely, whereas others simply yield no calories in spite of complete absorbtion. It seems like one way or another the body has to deal with these artificial substances and we are robbing Peter to pay Paul by shifting the burden away from one organ to another. Personally if I have to eat something sweet I’d rather take my chances with my pancreas than all these other unknowns!
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Robb – rotation of what we eat is good for the body anyways, routine is never something it likes. Also keeping things seasonal is another way to keep with the natural instincts, usually more fruits and veg in the summer, more meats and fats in the winter. Have fun with it.
Deborah – I understand that there are chemical cravings that can go on inside the body, but I don’t want to call those addictions. That term just gives the sense of you have no control and power over what is happening, and I want you to have as much power and control over your health as possible. So we can replace the word “addiction” to sugar (for example) with “cravings” for sugar. You are just “experiencing” cravings at that point and time, nothing you personally own or is a part of you forever. We can also look at why the body might be craving sugar and there are many reasons such as staying up late (it confuses your seasonal clock to think it is summer, a time of higher sugar intake to store fat for winter), maybe there is bad bacteria in your gut (as sugar feeds bacteria, so they want to be fed), or a hypoglycemic state from insulin resistance. All in all, we just need to try and optimize our body’s health (with sleep, probiotics and exercise/healthy eating to increase insulin sensitivity). If you have one every other day, then you are lessoning the overall stress on your body. While I am not saying you “need” to go cold turkey and never have one again….you have to keep in mind your body and health is the sum all all stressors/chemicals you put in. So prevention is the name of the game. In the end, you have the power to choose what you do or do not have, but some things are always better in less quantity and more infrequently (rather than daily routine). Enjoy your eating, but give yourself full control every day. Be active, get rid of sugars and let the body heal itself when it can. I’m not about to give up a good beer every now and then but it’s not a staple of my diet. See, we can compromise while maximizing health.
Meth – The biggest danger with anything artificial is the body has to deal with it. A good percentage of all sweeteners is absorbed by the body (like 20-30% is not excreted), where the heck do they go? That’s the issue, these artifical chemicals running around our body creating chaos and issues. In small amounts the body can probably deal and you may never know, but if they build up and form a bigger “gang” inside, then they can cause problems in many places and lead to the body attacking itself (auto-immune disorders) or other destruction at the cellular level (and effecting the tissues/organs where those cells are located). Also you may enjoy the book “Lights Out:Sleep, Sugar, Survival”. A good read into how after the industrial revolution our lifestyles dramatically changed as well as our state of health. Sugar is supposed to be season for long summer days, but nowadays with TVs and artificial lighting late a night every day is a long summer day. One of many reasons our sugar cravings are just natural survival instincts getting all the wrong signals. I tell you what though….if I take a long fast, I start to crave fatty pieces of meat….like my body wants more fat and protein. That’s a fun craving!
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Good post Mike! I wish more people understood the dangers of diet soda. It has become so mainstream! They should at least re-name it to something other than “Diet Soda”. Maybe “Even MORE Artificial Beverage” is too long of a name but there should be something that works. Not only is it terrible for you, but it also tastes terrible too!
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SOG -Unfortunately in this day and age if it doesn’t cause immediate harm, people assume there is no danger. I think we are starting to see the real effect of that attitude nowadays with more metabolic disorders and other illnesses. The body can only handle so much before it starts to go in a negative direction (and was never meant for the overload of chemicals that are present wherever we look today in our foods, drinks, air, etc). The best advice is always try to avoid anything artificial or made by “man”, made by “nature” is always a better choice.
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Carbohydrates are definitely bad for individuals with adrenal fatigue. They weaken the sympathetic nervous system as opposed to protein which does the opposite.
I went through an adrenal crisis eating a vegetarian diet briefly many years ago. I seem to do well eating a high protein low carbohydrate diet now. It’s night and say in terms of my energy and ability to handle stress.
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Asbestos exposure rarely caused immediate harm either. Or even smoking for that matter. With the exception of the rare extreme allergy, I don’t think I have heard of too many people that smoke one cigarrette and then die. Just more examples of things that will take years to kill you.
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Brian – True, carbs or the high levels of insulin they cause are the main issue and something to be avoided with adrenal fatigue.
SOG – Funny how the body works, as some smokers can live to 100…others get cancer. Obviously it is still a stressor on the body and immune system. I truly believe there is a strong connection between high insulin and all diseases, namely a person who eats sugar (lowers immune system) and smokes is more likely to develop lung cancer over a smoker who has low insulin levels and eats more stable fats (to replace the sugars) for healthy cell membranes. Disease is a fancy name for when cell destruction is greater than cell repair and rebuilding (and the location of where the cells are, effects those tissues and organs…..as malfunctioning cells in the lungs, mean potential lung diseases/cancers).
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[...] Read the full article here. [...]
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Mike, thanks for your response. I understand your point of using the word ‘cravings’ instead of ‘addiction’ and, in this case, I think it’s a good idea. Since alcoholism runs in my family, I guess I get a little touchy when I read comments that seem to disparage addiction.
The good news is that I made it thru the entire day without a Diet Coke, altho I really ‘craved’ one at lunch and again this afternoon.
Your point about staying up late hits home for me. I’m guilty, guilty, guilty!! And, on that note, I will drag my butt off to bed.
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I would like to add an ailment to your list. I was having lots of diet sodas and then got gout. I found out that because these are especially bad for causing gout much to my post-gout disgust.
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Deborah – Yes I like to use the word “cravings” to make people get a sense and power over what is going on, I’m not a fan of the word “addiction” as many tend to give up with that frame of mind. Cravings can go away after all, just have to train your body not to expect it (or find the underlying issues that may be causing the sweet cravings in the first place like stress, poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, etc). That and I expect people to snap at me if I try and take away something they like….I’m a trainer after all, I’m used to people not liking what I have to say.
Dr Dan – Didn’t know about the connection between Gout and Diet soda. Thanks for sharing it. Just goes to show you never know how the body will respond to chemicals it doesn’t know what to do with.
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Jimmy Moore commented on his blog that he is having 8 diet sodas daily. He will try and cut them down. But he mentioned that while he lost all his weight that he had diet sodas daily and still lost weight. Perhaps, as is mentioned above, the body comes to a point where it can’t handle the artificial sweeteners anymore.
(I only mentioned Jimmy because he is having probs losing weight at the moment and the diet sodas could be the reason – I am not having a go at him).
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Sue – There could be many reasons one’s weight gain could stall….needing a different workout routine, needing to change up the eating, even adding in high carb/cal days to help reset any starvation response setting in. Of course it’s a complicated system involving the whole body…..and many organs…so it makes sense that the healthier the body is, the easier it should be able to burn fat…and the other way around too. 8 sodas is alot…and alot of chemicals to put in one’s system day after day without giving the body a break to try and deal with the workload….like someone pilling a small stack of papers on your desk at work 8x a day….everyday….pretty soon at some point your whole desk is going to be full of stacks of paper pilled over your head….and then you are never going to get anything done efficiently. Body is the same way.
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[...] Avoid Artificial Sweeteners; After TheIFlife’s article on Artificial Sweeteners this earlier this week I think we can all agree this stuff is doing us no [...]
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Curses, and i just made a Sam’s run. Bottom line, we all must have known this for a long time but not wanted to admit it to ourselves. If it feels to good to be true, it likely is.
Mike, killer work as usual.
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Matt – Look on the bright side, at least it was bought at discount.
Yes….I ruin many people’s shopping trips once I tell them most processed or canned goods are not healthy for some reason. In today’s world if it doesn’t kill us and is on the shelf we “assume” it must be healthy…..which never takes into account long term health or the amount at which we can overload the body with excess chemicals and toxins. At some point, the body will not be happy.
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[...] on insulin. Mike at the IF Life had a post last week that made me think long and hard about my Diet Coke habit. So reducing my consumption of Diet Coke becomes part of the challenge, [...]
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Artificial products such as Diet Coke, are a definite cause of weight gain. I eliminated diet coke from my diet and lost about 8 pounds. I did nothing else different with myself. I learned the negative effects of high fructose corn syrup and other detrimental ingredients at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition last year. It was the best program and really changed my life. Anyone stuck with bad habits should consider this school (www.integrativenutrition.com).
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This is spot on. I researched the effects of diet soda a while back and, as you say, it ain’t good!
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Another good read on aspartame:
“Why do millions use it?
One must ask, “Why do millions of people ingest a toxic chemical like aspartame everyday?” It is because people have been brainwashed into thinking aspartame will keep their weight down and is good for health. The belief is inconsistent with credible science and shows me that we have lost touch with our own natural senses and instincts.
After having been consulted by thousands of overweight people suffering with problems concerning the liver and/or metabolism, I can assure you that aspartame will not help you in any way. Indeed, it will help you to gain unwanted weight.
How it causes weight gain
It has been my experience that people who use aspartame to lose weight are more likely to gain weight instead. There are logical reasons to explain the fattening and bloating effects common with aspartame consumption.
When you ingest the toxic chemical aspartame it is absorbed from the intestines and passes immediately to the liver where it is taken inside the liver via the liver filter. The liver then breaks down (metabolizes) aspartame to its toxic components-phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. This process requires a lot of energy from the liver making less energy available for fat burning and metabolism, which will result in fat storing and elevated blood sugar levels. Excess fat may build up inside the liver cells causing “fatty liver” and when this starts to occur it is extremely difficult to lose weight. In my vast experience any time that you overload the liver you will increase the tendency to gain weight easily.
Aspartame also causes weight gain by other mechanisms.
* It causes unstable blood sugar levels, which increases the appetite and causes cravings for sweets/sugar. Thus it is particularly toxic for those with diabetes or epilepsy.
* It causes fluid retention giving the body a puffy and bloated appearance. This makes people look fatter than they are and increases cellulite.”
from http://www.wnho.net/report_on_aspartame_and_children.htm
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Calories in, calories out. There is nothing new in this study. The rats ate more food because the artificial sweeteners make the food taste better. Ignore every single comment that purports artificial sweeteners cause weight gain and use common sense. Calories cause weight gain. Zero calorie sweeteners do not. End of discussion.
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If diet sodas cause weight gain, why don’t we send them to Africa to fight starvation?
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Tami – Yes calories cause weight gain…..especially in a dysfunctional metabolism. So (all fatty liver comments aside) if artificial sweeteners cause an increase in cravings and calorie intake, wouldn’t they also CAUSE weight gain? Zero Calorie drinks also can cause other neurotoxic effects on the metabolism including leptin resistance which is the hunger hormone…and with leptin resistance comes an increase in hunger…increase in calories…increase in obesity.
“Ignore every single comment that purports artificial sweeteners cause weight gain and use common sense.” Well I deal with people….and most of them are subject to cravings and eating (as if they already ate properly I guess they would have no need for a trainer right?), so one would say something that negatively effects weight loss efforts should be avoided….so that’s my common sense point. That and chemicals are not healthy inside the body…..as even skinny people can get cancers, diabetes or other diseases. Eat for optimal cellular health….not increased cellular destruction (chemicals, free radicals, rancid fats, oxidative damage, etc).
Discussion is Back Open.
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[...] Are Diet Sodas Making You Lose Weight? (@ the if life) I’m a recovering Diet Mountain Dew addict. The stuff got me through law school, but I know it’s not good for me. I’m actually trying to drop sodas in general. After an intense conditioning workout last week that left me sucking for air, I made the decision. The carbonation is killing my lung capacity. [...]
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“Nothing in and of itself is good or evil, but only its use which makes it so.” –St. Augustine of Hippo.
Carbonation is not going to kill you lung capacity. You are getting older, and you’re metabolic rate declines 7% per decade.
A diet soda is not going to kill you either. If you are mainlining the stuff, then yes, you are getting too much. Otherwise, use common sense. I’d like to see the science behind this purportedly scientific article. Can’t believe everything written, particularly on the web, folks.
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I agree with Tami – it’s all about calories in vs. calories burnt. I am an endurance runner currently in active training for my next marathon. At peak training I run around 55 – 60 miles a week. I can eat all day long and still lose weight.
My workplace provides free sodas. I usually have a diet soda later in the afternoon. I do just drink one and it has to contain Splenda. I eat very healthy otherwise but also believe in moderation. I think a diet soda now and then is OK. I would not drink more than one a day though.
My main point here is that I drink diet soda and am losing weight. You can argue all day long about “well, you run 55 miles a week.” The running is not my point. Burning equal or more calories than one takes in is the key to losing weight – that is my point – and it has nothing to do with diet soda. Are the ingredients in diet sodas healthy? Again, that discussion deviates from the main topic of “Are diet sodas making you gain weight.” And if we stick just to that specific question, I believe the answer is ‘no!’
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I will agree calorie deficit is the key to weight loss….but that also means a healthy metabolism has to be present. It’s going to be harder to maintain a calorie deficit if your metabolism and the processes involved start to get messed up. Things like receptor sensitivity for key hormones like insulin and even leptin can dramatically effect the metabolism and how efficient it can burn calories. (as scientists don’t even know the long term effects of all the artificial chemicals) In the end, one a day probably won’t kill anyone or make them balloon up overnight…..but in the long run it might lead to metabolic slowdown and generate a problem of maintaining long term weight loss. Better off to avoid all artificial chemicals/sweeteners/preservatives as our body has to deal with them and the load will add up on the organs and effect cell health.
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[...] “Are Diet Sodas Making You Gain Weight?“, taken from the life spotlight website. I admit, I drink them. Particularly “Coke [...]
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Hi. I down an unhealthy amount of diet sodas per day…haha usually atleast 5 cans :\ im a very active athlete and work out every day, and am also on weight watchers. Yet i can totally relate with the swollen face/ stomach syndrome you mentioned in your article, and it is near impossible for me to lose weight.
If i limit myself to a diet soda every other day, can i restore my metabolism and start losing weight??
-Emilia
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Emilia – I would say cutting down on artificial sweeteners and getting to more real foods/water is always a good start. Remember fat loss is a hormonal event at heart, so all these artificial sweeteners could be playing havoc on your receptors and hormonal messaging system. Here’s a post on Fat Loss to remember about all the basics we need to master: http://theiflife.com/fitness/2008/02/25/fat-loss-101-master-the-basics/
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[...] http://www.fitnessspotlight.com/2008/10/06/are-diet-sodas-making-you-gain-weight/ [...]
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Here is the thing everything swe eat is harmful in some way to our bodies. There are always going to be studies about this food that food this drink etc… My husband was 220lbs and cut his calories down with exercise and has always drank diet sodas in a total of 6 months has lost 40lbs to be 180lbs. Myself I weighed 140lbs and did the same thing and lost 15lbs down to 125lbs. If the diet drinks made you gain weight than what happened here? Of coarse water is always better for body and you should always consume atleast 8 waters a day with fruits and veggies, but don’t completely buy into this story.
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The brain tends to react to artificial sweeteners just like regular glucose.
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