Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Diet coke - is it really so bad?

64 replies

Pastperfect · 09/10/2014 05:23

The therapist that does my facials was horrified when I mentioned I drink diet coke. On the whole I have pretty good skin but she claims it wreaks havoc on face and body alike.

In fact she couldn't have been more horrified if I had confessed a crack addiction.

It's going to be hard to give up so just wondering if it's worth it?

OP posts:

Surfsup1 · 09/10/2014 05:40

It's really just a chemical cocktail - is there anything good about it? My concern would be their effect on your gut flora and the obvious issue that this could raise.

Deathraystare · 09/10/2014 07:32

It cannot be good as it is fizzy pop (not wearing my judgy pants as I drink the stuff too!) plus someone on this site mentioned coke leaches calcium from the body, so not good.

CuttedUpPear · 09/10/2014 07:35

If it's something that is going to be hard to give up, then it can't be doing you any good.
There's a lot of evidence about diet coke being horribly addictive.

50ShadesOfSummer · 09/10/2014 07:38

Not really an expert on this, but there seem to be regular scare stories about diet drinks doing the rounds on email, FB, etc. They tend to imply that the sweetener in diet drinks will kill you in lots of horrible ways. They rarely come from reputable medical sources. Too much sugar, on the other hand, is a known cause of lots of problems.

SenatusPopulusqueRomanorum · 09/10/2014 07:42

It didn't make any difference on my skin when I stopped drinking all fizzy drinks (I drank nearly a big bottle of Diet Coke a day).
Sadly, the decade of Diet Coke drinking has really damaged my teeth.

MrsJuice · 09/10/2014 07:43

Yes, lots of scare stories.
My ex-H almost mainlined Diet Coke for years. He now have irreversible nerve damage to his eyes, and is registered blind.
He was told that too much aspartame can poison the body, but hey ho.
I don't have aspartame in my house, but I'm sure it's not that bad in moderation.

nequidnimis · 09/10/2014 08:23

Aspartame has probably been subjected to more testing than any other additive, and has been shown to be harmless time and time again.

People who drink lots of fizzy drinks are known to be more at risk of osteoporosis, but it's because the fizzy drinks are replacing milk, milky hot drinks and orange juice, not because the diet coke is leaching calcium.

I think it's like anything really, just enjoy it in moderation.

flowery · 09/10/2014 09:10

I think the therapist ought to mind her own beeswax about what you drink tbh

QueenCardigan · 09/10/2014 09:24

It possibly is bad, possibly isn't. But I was addicted and having at least 1 litre a day. I went cold turkey and gave it up and feel much better.

lurkingaround · 09/10/2014 09:32

AFAIK, there is a link between osteoporosis and cola intake, although the reason for this is not yet certain, could be phosporoc acid in cola, or it could just be the caffeine in it that interferes with absorption of calcium, but there does appear to be a link.

Never heard of diet Coke affecting skin. I wonder what her theory is.

flowery · 09/10/2014 09:34

I drink a fair amount of diet coke, probably two cans a day, sometimes three. I don't think my skin and body show signs of havoc being wreaked. But then again, maybe I'd look like a supermodel if I didn't drink it. Or maybe not....

burnishedsilver · 09/10/2014 09:37

I drink it. I have a can every day with lunch. It's definitely addictive. I start to crave it if I haven't had it. I'm aware that the acid effects teeth but it hasn't had any effect on my face or skin. There is some evidence of harmful effects of the sweeteners but you'd need to be drinking massive quantities. There is also evidence that sweeteners make you crave sugar and eat more. Some excessive diet coke drinkers say that they lose weight when they give up.

Out of interest, how much are you drinking?

QuiteQuietly · 09/10/2014 09:51

I gave up a few years ago (probably a litre a day for at least 10 years, plus casual teenage use). Frankly, it was easier giving up smoking (30 a day for 14 years). I had blinding headaches and felt really dreadful for about a fortnight. Once over "withdrawal" I didn't notice any amazing improvement in skin or general health. After a couple of years I gradually started up again, and drink 1-2 cans most days with a couple of days off a week. Full fat coke doesn't have the same satisfaction, and pepsi is a poor substitute (curse you Costa). Caffeine-free doesn't make a difference, so it's not the caffeine I'm after. I don't drink much tea and don't like coffee, so it's an easy thing to order when out. I dislike paying for water and other soft drinks are too sugary sweet. I can't blame the world for pushing diet coke on me, but it doesn't help!

Despite not feeling or looking different without it, I am considering quitting again. Mostly because anything that is that traumatic to stop probably isn't a good idea. Just need a few clear weeks in the diary...

Saltire · 09/10/2014 10:03

I don't drink diet anything due to reading a few articles about aspartame causing symptoms similar to my fibromyalgia. I decided that if there was a possibility that stopping it might make me feel a heck of a lot better then I would. It hasn't - the pain was definitely due to Fibro and not aspartame, but now I just don't like it so don't drink it. If I have fizzy stuff (with vodka ) I either have full sugar coke or, more usually, lemonade

JapaneseMargaret · 09/10/2014 10:17

Fizzy drinks are for kids, IMO. Only they shouldn't be given to kids because they're so unhealthy (one full of sugar, and the other full of shit).

The only fizzy drink it's acceptable to drink - in my opinion, of course - is tonic water.

This sounds awful, but how much diet coke are drinking, that giving it up feels like a hardship.....?

Surfsup1 · 09/10/2014 10:18

Tonic Water is also full of sugar though!

Oly4 · 09/10/2014 10:27

The studies on aspartame show no harm. People live on the stuff for years with no ill effects. But it's up to you how you feel about it. There are other healthier drinks.... And worse vices IMO

gamerchick · 09/10/2014 10:29

I was on 2 or 3 cans a day for the past 8 years or so and recently stopped in the past couple of months. I've tried to stop before but it was easier to quit the smokes. I just went off diet coke all of a sudden so stopped.

Then my tops started gaping at the front and I was constantly hitching my trousers up and more recently my knickers and was perplexed to why. I thought my washing machine was wrecking my clothes

Along with the diet coke I lost the desire to snack and have dropped a dress size, all without me noticing. No idea if diet coke was the reason but it's the only really recent change.

My skin is exactly the same as it was before though

JapaneseMargaret · 09/10/2014 10:35

Oh absolutely surfs, but the fact that it's designed to be drunk with gin makes it seem less juvenile.

To me, fizzy drinks are something to be served at kids' parties.

50ShadesOfSummer · 09/10/2014 11:02

Agree that tonic is the best soft drink for adults. I drink diet tonic (with gin in it) so i don't know where that leaves me.

Surfsup1 · 09/10/2014 11:31

The addition of gin completely cancels out any possible negatives that could be associated with tonic - absolute agreement!

squoosh · 09/10/2014 11:37

Diet Coke seems to be more habit forming than other fizzy drinks. I'm sure the odd can doesn't do much harm but chugging down 2 litres a day certainly isn't going to benefit your health or looks in any way.

LadyFairfaxSake · 09/10/2014 14:04

I don't like tea or coffee so I mostly live on Pepsi Max, I don't feel addicted per se, but I think I probably drink too much of it (I shift most of a 2 litre bottle a day).
Trouble is, I can't think of anything else to replace it, though I do like reduced sugar blackcurrant drinks (which are probably just as bad).

ilovepowerhoop · 09/10/2014 14:19

we tend to only drink fizzy drinks with dinner - we have a mix of diet coke, diet orange tango and diet irn bru. I drink tea during the day.

Original poster

Pastperfect · 09/10/2014 14:35

I only drink 1 can a day, mid morning but I don't drink tea or coffee or anything else with caffeine so I really miss it if I don't have it.

However I've noticed it seems to dehydrate me and once I started googling found lots of articles about weight gain so I was curious.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread