Soda and diabetes of the diet do not mix, the study suggests

The study included 81 women with type 2 diabetes who were overweight or had obesity and regularly drank diet sodas. All participants spent six months in a weight loss intervention program, followed by 12 months in a weight maintenance program.
To assess the effect of the consumption of food soda, the researchers randomly attributed half of the participants to switch to water, while the other half stuck to their usual usual to have a dietetic soda after lunch five times a week.
After 18 months, water drinkers lost more weight than diet soda drinkers – 6.82 kilograms (15 pounds) on average, against 4.85 kilograms (10.6 pounds) – according to the preliminary results of the study presented during the 85th scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The results have not yet been published in a journal evaluated by peers or examined independently by diabetes experts who have not been involved in research.
According to the results. Overall, 90% of water drinkers reached the remission of diabetes, compared to 45% of food soda drinkers.
Diabetes remission means maintaining a HA1C level (blood sugar) less than 6.5% for at least three months without taking medication that helps reduce glucose.
Is Diet Soda good for losing weight?
The study suggests that food soda can help lose weight, at least in women living with type 2 diabetes, and have a positive impact on their blood sugar. But research has key limits, according to experts.
Although the study was not designed to determine why Diet Soda could hinder diabetes’ remission, it is possible that artificial sweeteners of these calorie drinks play a role, said the author of the main study Mehdi Nasr, BSC, of D2Type Health, a digital health company based in Vancouver, in British Columbia, in Canada.
“Dietary sodas can alter the appetite regulation by increasing the desires of sweet or caloric foods, undermining weight loss and blood sugar control,” said the NASR.
These initial results did not include any information on a wide range of variables that may have an impact on the remission of diabetes, such as use by drug participants on diabetes, eating habits or exercise routines.
“I am completely skeptical about the results,” explains Robert Cohen, MD, professor at the division of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, which was not involved in the new study. “I think that the health risks of diet sodas are overestimated.”
Although there was a statistically significant difference in the quantity of weight loss (about 5 pounds) between water and food soda drinkers in the study, this difference was not large enough to cause different clinical results such as higher chances of diabetes, says Dr Cohen. The study should provide more reference information, such as the proximity of the participants in remission at the start of the study, or if the groups were equal depending on the weight or blood sugar.
Should you abandon dietary soda?
The results are not completely surprising based on research to date on the health effects of artificial sweeteners, explains Danielle Haslam, PHD, medicine instructor in Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard Medical School, and nutrition researcher at Harvard Th Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
Additional research is still necessary to better understand exactly how food sodas has an impact on health, especially in relation to water, says Haslam. Although this work is in progress, however, it is logical to be mistaken on the side of prudence and to reduce diet sodas and artificial sweeteners, says Haslam.
Healthy soda alternatives
The good news is that there are many alternatives to diet soda.
If you don’t like to drink a lot of water, try to sparkle rather than it is still a way to get a soft drink without adding calories or artificial sweeteners to your diet, says Cohen.
There are also many other good alternatives, says Samantha Heller, RD, based in New York, which was not involved in the new study.
“Water, tea, herbal teas and seltzers are all good drinking options,” explains Heller. She also suggests trying the following additions to Zhuzh your water or your Seltzer:
- A small amount of pure fruit juice
- slices of fresh fruit such as oranges, lemons or strawberries
- Herbs like basil, mint or rosemary
- vegetables like cucumbers