The negative effects of drinking a can of Diet Coke can be felt within just an hour, says a pharmacist. Like most food and drinks, the product poses very little health risk when drunk in moderation, reports the Daily Record.
However, past studies have shown that drinking beverages with artificial sweeteners, like Diet Coke, can contribute to weight gain. And further research shows that drinks containing fake sugars can affect more than just weight.
A study published in the journal Current Atherosclerosis Reports also warns that such drinks could be contributing to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The effects of drinking a can of Diet Coke can apparently be seen in just one hour, says the Mirror.
Qualified pharmacist Niraj Naik, best known as The Renegade Pharmacist, reported in 2015 that Diet Coke affects a person within that first post-drink hour and says tooth enamel is attacked within just ten minutes. He said: "The phosphoric acid attacks the enamel in your teeth, while the artificial sweeteners like aspartame hit your system. Aspartame may trigger taste receptors and trick your body into thinking it has just processed sugar."
After 20 minutes Niraj says the drinker's body switches to its "fat storage mode", citing studies from The Nurses' Health Study that connect such beverages to a higher risk of high blood pressure and type two diabetes. He said: "Like regular Coke, this can trigger insulin, which sends your body into fat storage mode."
On 40 minutes he claims the caffeine and aspartame combination results in a short-term high, in a comparable way to the Class A drug cocaine. If drunk regularly, he attests, the excitotoxins released could lead to your brain becoming exhausted and overstimulated.
He explained: "The potentially deadly combination of caffeine and aspartame creates a short addictive high similar to the way cocaine works. Excitotoxins are released which may exhaust your brain by overstimulating its neuroreceptors, especially if consumed on a regular basis."
After one hour has passed, Niraj says the drinker will be left more hungry and thirsty than they were previously - and more likely to reach for sugary junk food. He said: "Unlike the small amount of satisfaction you get from regular Coke, your body may still crave sweets. This makes you likely to reach for another soda, or worse, some other junk food you consider to be safe, and the cycle continues.
"A can of Diet Coke provides no nourishment and would replace a more nutritious drink you could have drunk, while potentially depleting your body of essential minerals. It will never quench your thirst as it dehydrates rather than hydrates your body."
The Daily Record has contacted the Coca-Cola Company for comment.
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