To stop drinking diet coke - sweeteners

[Alwaysasking]

Or am I totally over-reacting? I have anxious dispositions so not sure if this is justified but I drink about 3-4 diet cokes a week, I love the stuff but am worried about the sweeteners and their link to cancer. AIBU?

Aspartame gives me dreadful joint pain. I avoid fizzy drinks now.

I'd be worried about the caffeine content if you suffer with anxiety. I have heard that diet drinks make your body feel hungrier and so make you eat more. Not so sure about link with cancer though. Doesn't sound like much a week though, a little bit now and then is okay.

Aspartame is banned in some countries so YANBU to worry about it...although it doesn't sound as though you drink much.

I hate diet drinks anyway and the nasty aftertaste.

Plenty of research and damning criticism of aspartame available on the internet. It's bad bad shit - give it up. And while you're at it start checking ingredients lists for High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Is there a proved link with cancer/joint pain etx?

I stopped drinking diet coke and had terrible withdrawal symptoms. Headaches for 2 weeks and also my skin got better. Would never drink it again after that. Feel much better. Think the headaches were caffeine withdrawal. Over a year now and still crave it. Not starting again though. X

if you're talking 3-4 cans then that's not that many. Some people drink 2 litres a day.

you would be better off not having it at all but if you have to drink it then the regular version is better

Aspartame triggers horrible migraines in me and I don't suffer with them usually. I avoid it like the plague for me and the kids. Horrid stuff.

I love a good conspiracy theory but there is actually no published scientifci evidence that aspartame causes cancer (or any serious medical problem).

Think the caffeine is probably worse.

I Never drink anything with aspartame in as it gives me migraines. Sugar all the way!

It is completely safe, and has been approved as safe by about 100 countries.

Whilst doubt was initially raised following allegations of irregularities in licensing when it was first brought to market, it is now one of the most thoroughly tested food additives in the world and has been found, time and time again, to be safe.

The perception that it is unsafe continues through the repeated 'accepted fact' that is is unsafe - people say it so often, that it is accepted as true without question. Internet hoaxes, allegations and various other controversies continue to muddy the water.

The ESFA is in the process of carrying out the biggest test ever conducted and you can read about it here

Coke also has phosphoric acid in. Which Robs your bones of calcium.
Yanbu

I drink loads of it, and i really should stop, but i know the caffeine withdrawl will give me headaches. I have loads of it at home as bought it when on sale. Maybe i should try and cut down slowly and drink more water instead.

Ignore the scaremongering. The science is clear: there is no credible evidence that aspartame is carcinogenic, neurotoxic or has any other adverse effects on health.

I agree with others, there's no evidence for the cancer risk, but it's probably not great for you overall (compared with drinking water, or tea) and the caffeine may make your anxiety feel worse.

(oh wait, 3-4 cans a week? I thought you meant 3-4 a day. That doesn't really sound excessive then).

YANBU

My (lovely) GP doesn't want me to have it at all. Ditto my former dietitian. But I love it & it gives me energy. I should try to cut back on it again.

You aren't by any means drinking an excessive amount of it, but it is full of gubbins so cutting it out/back on it wouldn't be a daft idea.

I have a friend who's a research chemist and she won't touch the stuff. I won't touch it because it tastes awful.

Too many of Tesco's soft drinks contain it. Sainsbury's is much better as none of their non-diet drinks have artificial sweeteners.

The biggest study into the effects of phosphoric acid (by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) found that any impact on bone density was negligible and was likely to be caused by milk displacement (drinking soft drinks instead of milk, or drinks with milk added such as tea/coffee) - the phosphorus intake was about the same in daily cola drinkers and non-drinkers, but the calcium to phosphorus ratio was lower.

There may be plenty of proof it's completely safe, but that doesn't explain why I get violent stomach cramps & migraines if I have any, followed by the runs for a couple of days.

And before anyone suggests that's psychosomatic, I've had drinks in the past where they've "ninja" changed the recipe to include aspartame & the only reason I realised was because I had all the usual symptoms and THEN read the contents list.

Quite scary just how many non-diet drinks do contain the foul muck too; all supermarket own brands, all cheap brands, plenty of "premium" brands too, just about all squashes bar Hi Juices......

I drink approx 6 cans of coke zero a day.

It replaced my 40 a day fag habit.

I still think Im better off.

Meh.

Allergictoironing - you're safe with Sainbury's own brand soft drinks.

ie, the non-diet ones.

I'm sure you do, allergictoironing, but double blind studies have found that other people who claim to suffer migraines etc after taking aspartame cannot, in fact, tell the difference between that and placebo here

I drink quite a bit. I'm not going to give it up. I don't have any other vices. Life is for living and enjoying. If I live to 80 instead of 85 because of diet drinks, then that is fine with me.