Diet soft drinks

[brothers]

Is it just me, or is there any truth to my opinion that habitually drinking "diet" soda seems to encourage the body to gain weight or at least not lose any weight? One of the largest gentlemen I've ever known was addicted to his diet cola. In my own case, I'd enjoy a nice cold Diet Mountain Dew every so often, but I don't want to be ingesting something that may not be so great for the body.

[drmoss_ca]

This is one of the most unfair things to ever happen to a primate. Like all our hairier relatives, we crave sweetness. When you forage for food every day, sweetness means lots of calories per mouthful, and an increased likelihood of living to forage another day. But there are consequences from too much, too often. An obvious one is that you have consumed more calories than you ought to have done, and may get fat. The other is that the sudden spikes in blood sugar stimulate sudden large secretions of insulin from the pancreas to control them. Do that repeatedly, and you gradually become less sensitive to the effects of insulin. So you secrete more insulin to get the blood sugar down, gradually getting less and less good at it. High blood sugars actually damage the islet cells of the pancreas that make insulin, so that as you continue to need more and more insulin, as you get less sensitive to it, you simultaneously lose the ability to make it. That's when your sugars rise out of control and someone tells you that you are now a type 2 diabetic. We are all at risk of this, but those of us with certain genes are more vulnerable than most.
It would seem we could bypass all this by having a sweetener that makes the food or drink sweet without adding sugar to the blood. But then we discover zero-calorie drinks are about as bad in this regard as ones with real sugar (we'll ignore for the moment that it isn't sucrose in most drinks, but a mixture of sucrose and fructose - HFCS - which is worse). The unfair part is that our clever bodies have evolved an early warning system that a sugar load is on the way, one which tells the pancreas to get that insulin flowing even before the blood sugar level begins to rise. Yes, taste buds. Simply the taste of sweetness will stimulate insulin production!
Now you might say that isn't too much of a problem - the insulin will lower the sugar maybe a bit lower than needed, but you aren't actually consuming sugar, so no harm done. Wrong! The excess insulin production starts the cycle of insensitivity, or insulin resistance. Furthermore, insulin directly stimulates appetite, and also indirectly stimulates it by lowering sugar, so you end up eating more.

At the end of it all, the lowest risk way to manage it is to avoid sweetened drinks, both sugary and artificially sweetened. The first will make you fat and diabetic and rot teeth. The second makes you fat and diabetic. And it makes no difference what kind of sweetener you use. Honey, cyclamate, saccharine, aspartame, acesulfame, agave or stevia. When you get that just the taste of sweet is a trigger for insulin secretion you realise none of them are any good for you. Very sad. Use sparingly....or not at all. Like getting drunk, or a blow-out meal, it should be a rare treat, not a daily staple.

[CMur12]

Wow! Thank you, Chris, for the clear presentation of very useful information. More helpful advice from our resident doctor.

I have long been wary of artificial sweeteners (as well as excess sugar), but I had no idea that the mere taste of sweetness triggered insulin and the process of insulin resistance.

- Murray

[brothers]

Dr. Chris, thanks for your clear and comprehensive explanation of the facts. I'm glad I asked the question because I have a much better understanding of the metabolism issues now, and I should behave accordingly if I have any sense at all. Hopefully others feel the same.

[Rufus]

Dr Chris, yours is the clearest, most comprehensive explanation I’ve read. Thank you..

[Gene]

A Doctor told my wife that when we drink diet drinks our bodies do two things with the artificial sweetener - turn a lot of it into sugar anyway, and convert the rest to formaldehyde. I have no idea if she was correct, or just trying to scare us, but we both cut way back on our soda consumption (which might have been the point?).

[drmoss_ca]

Good for you, Gene.The story reflects no credit on the doctor's level of knowledge!

[Gene]

The story reflects no credit on the doctor's level of knowledge!

That could be a whole thread in and of itself. I have seen a few doctors several times over the last year - and can't remember the last time one actually used his stethoscope on me. And my last blood work showed a glucose level of 100. Current doc said that was fine ... but three years ago that doctor swore I was pre-diabetic.

[John Rose]

... And it makes no difference what kind of sweetener you use. Honey, cyclamate, saccharine, aspartame, acesulfame, agave or stevia. When you get that just the taste of sweet is a trigger for insulin secretion you realise none of them are any good for you. ...

Does that mean that sucralose in that list too?

[drmoss_ca]

If it tastes sweet, it's on the list. Those were just all the sweeteners I could think of off the top of my head.

[brothers]

Here's a follow-up question: Is there any improvement over 'diet' soft drinks when the brand offers a 'zero' beverage? Isn't that just the same as drinking flavored water?

[Shavermeister]

The good doctor brings attention to a crucial aspect of our dietary habits, particularly the impact of sweetened drinks on our health. His insights resonate with the biological consequences of our evolved preference for sweetness, coupled with the modern availability of high-calorie sweeteners. This unfair twist in our biological response poses a significant risk to our overall well-being.

Reflecting on my own experiences, I can attest to the subtle but profound effects of sweetened drinks on both physical and metabolic health. In the past, I used to indulge in daily servings of artificially sweetened beverages, believing them to be a healthier alternative to their sugary counterparts. However, as Dr. Moss points out, the mere taste of sweetness can trigger an insulin response, setting in motion a cycle of insulin resistance.

I noticed that over time, my sensitivity to the effects of insulin diminished, and my cravings for sweet and calorie-dense foods increased. The excess insulin production not only contributed to potential weight gain but also adversely impacted my overall metabolic health. What initially seemed like a harmless choice turned out to have long-term repercussions on my body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels effectively.

Understanding the physiological consequences of excessive sweetener consumption is a wake-up call. Dr. Moss's recommendation to avoid sweetened drinks altogether aligns with my personal journey towards adopting a healthier lifestyle. Cutting down on sweetened beverages and embracing water as my primary hydration source has not only improved my energy levels but also positively impacted my weight management efforts.

Jim

[drmoss_ca]

You make me blush. Now we have to do something about that beard of yours.....

[Shavermeister]

You make me blush. Now we have to do something about that beard of yours.....

Dr. Moss, your humourous comment brings a smile to my face! Fear not, the beard won't be a permanent fixture much longer. In fact, I'm gearing up to shave it off in a few days for a YouTube video. I look forward to sharing the transformation with you and others. Stay tuned for the upcoming clean-shaven reveal!

Jim