A common everyday drink choice might be quietly upsetting your health — potentially disrupting sleep, and triggering uncomfortable bloating and diarrhea. Here’s what to watch for.
Water may be the go-to for hydration, but it’s not always the most appealing option—especially when you’re out with friends or pairing a drink with a nice meal.
So it’s easy to see why many people reach for fizzy soft drinks instead, particularly if they don’t drink alcohol or prefer to avoid beverages like beer, wine, or whiskey.
However, experts warn that a regular habit of drinking soda or diet soda could have downsides, with some even using the dramatic label ‘liquid death’.
Dr Jeremy London, who is board certified in vascular thoracic and general surgery, has previously referred to soda — particularly diet versions — as ‘liquid death’.
Speaking to TODAY, the cardiologist explained: “I think that soft drinks are just a scourge in our society, and so I was really trying to get some attention.
“Obviously, high-calorie soft drinks and ingesting a lot of calories that people don’t realise they’re getting with the sugar-based soft drinks is a big no-no.”
One big difference between standard full-sugar soda and diet options is that diet drinks generally contain no sugar.
Instead, they typically rely on non-nutritive sweeteners—either artificial or naturally derived—which provide little to no calories.
Common examples used in diet sodas include aspartame, stevia and sucralose.
Cutting sugar might sound like an automatic win, but specialists at Zoe — a wellness project designed to help people make ‘smarter food choices’ — suggest the picture may be more complicated.
Research published in the National Library of Medicine previously reported a ‘clear association of soft drink intake with increased energy intake and body weight’.
That same body of findings also indicated that people who drink diet sodas may consume less milk, calcium, and other important nutrients, potentially raising the risk of health issues, including diabetes.
Still, Zoe guide contributor Sammie Gill, a specialist gastroenterology dietitian with a PhD in nutritional immunology, has noted that responses to artificial sweeteners can vary from person to person, depending on the make-up of their microbiome.
The Mayo Clinic says it’s currently unclear whether having diet soda daily is harmful.
Even so, Zoe experts advise that too much of this so-called ‘liquid death’ may come with real drawbacks.
Below are some signs it could be time to reduce how much you’re drinking.
Zoe has warned that carbonation in diet soda can lead to gas building up in the digestive system.
When that gas doesn’t pass quickly, it may leave you feeling swollen, uncomfortable, and in pain that can linger for hours.
And for people with more sensitive digestion, the caffeine in low-sugar fizzy drinks can stimulate the gut, increasing contractions and potentially leading to diarrhea.
Caffeine doesn’t just affect the bowels — it can also make falling asleep harder and reduce sleep quality.
A widely used guideline is to avoid caffeine for at least six to eight hours before bed.
So if you typically go to sleep around 10pm, you may want to stop drinking diet soda by roughly 2pm.
Separately, an animal-based study in the Nutrition Journal has suggested artificial sweeteners might interfere with sleep-wake cycles.
Although this hasn’t been confirmed in humans, it may be worth keeping in mind before grabbing a cold can mid-afternoon.
Some studies — including one published in The Journal of Head and Face Pain — indicate that certain artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame and sucralose, could contribute to headaches in people who are already susceptible.
It’s also worth noting that headaches are typically associated with long-term, frequent intake rather than a single serving.
Other researchers have raised concerns that diet soda sweeteners may affect appetite, potentially increasing hunger and triggering cravings.
In a 2021 study published via SageJournals, participants drank either a glass of so-called ‘liquid death’ or a full-sugar soda, and were then shown images of food.
The group who had diet soda reportedly showed ‘increased activation of the brain’s reward system and decreased activity in control-related regions’.
If you’re considering cutting out diet soda, there are plenty of alternatives available, including water, unsweetened tea, and coffee.
You could also try fruit-infused water, fermented drinks like kombucha, or making your own homemade iced tea.