- A Harvard-trained gastroenterologist revealed four scary facts about diet soda
- The viral video was created by Dr. Saurabh Sethi, based in California
- READ MORE: Sofia Richie, 26, describes the ‘terrifying’ part of her recent pregnancy
A Harvard- and Stanford-trained gastroenterologist has revealed four scary facts about diet sodas — and why you might want to stop drinking them.
Dr. Saurabh Sethibased in California, has more than twenty years of clinical experience and practices in clinics in the San Francisco area.
In one video recently posted On his TikTok, the doctor asked whether diet soda was actually healthier than regular soda, and shared four facts about the diet product that you may not know yet.
The first truth he talked about was actually quite scary.
“First, women who drink two or more diet sodas daily are at significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke,” Dr. began. Sethi.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist in California, took to TikTok to share the negatives of diet soda
His statement was based on a study published in 2019 by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Associationwhich linked the use of artificially sweetened beverages to an increase in these diseases in women over 50 years of age, per CNN.
And interestingly, the risk of heart attack or stroke was highest in women who had no history of heart disease or diabetes, the paper reported.
Then Dr. claimed. Sethi that drinking diet soda could also be linked to kidney disease.
“The high phosphorus content in diet soda may contribute to chronic kidney disease,” he said in the video.
His statement is supported by the National Kidney Foundationwho cited a study showing that drinking two or more diet sodas per day can cause damage to the kidneys.
The study tested a group of women who all had healthy, functioning kidneys at the start of the trial.
However, they found that people who drank diet soda experienced a three times greater drop in their glomerular filtration rate – something that can help measure how well your kidneys are working – than those who did not drink diet soda.
During the study, there was a clear link between kidney function and diet soda consumption – which is why the National Kidney Foundation recommends drinking water instead.
“The high phosphorus content in diet soda may contribute to chronic kidney disease,” he said in the video (stock image)
The third fact that Dr. Sethi shared that drinking diet sodas can “negatively impact insulin sensitivity” and “disrupt the gut microbiome,” meaning it can affect the health of your gut.
Good gut health is extremely important for your overall health as it can aid in digestion, immunity and more.
You need a healthy amount of good bacteria in your intestines to fight certain diseases.
Finally, the doctor said that diet sodas “may increase cravings for high-calorie foods, interfering with appetite control.”
According to a 2021 study published in the JAMA Open Networkfound that sucralose, a common ingredient in diet sodas such as Pepsi One and Diet Mountain Dew, can increase appetite.
The researchers explained that consuming things with sucralose can cause “greater neural reward responses” in the brain.
“Ultimately, diet soft drinks do not provide any nutritional benefits,” concluded Dr. Sethi.