Diet drinks are dangerous to your health! There are numerous studies that show that diet drinks are responsible for weight gain, diabetes, sugar cravings, obesity, and even heart attack and stroke.  Dr. Gary Eshanov, a family chiropractor in Montclair (NJ) has been warning his patients for many years on the dangers of diet drinks.

In a recent study, researchers looked at 10 years of data from 2,564 individuals enrolled in the Northern Manhattan Study. The link between diet soda and serious health issues was undeniable: those who drank diet soda on a daily basis were 43 percent more likely to experience heart attacks, stroke or vascular death. (www.naturalnews.com/034901_diet_soda_heart_attacks_Coke.html#ixzz2Ki0A6lEb)

Soon to be published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is a report on a study conducted by France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research which covered 66,118 middle-aged women whose dietary habits and health were tracked from 1993 to 2007. The results were very surprising-  even though it is well known that people who consume a lot of sugar are more likely to develop diabetes, researchers found that subjects who drank “light” or “diet” beverages had a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than those who drank regular sodas. Incidently, subjects who drank 100 percent natural squeezed fruit juices instead had no increased risk.Females who choose reduced calorie or diet soft drinks usually drink twice as many of them as women who choose regular soda or juice—2.8 glasses per week compared to 1.6 glasses. “Yet when an equal quantity is consumed, the risk of contracting diabetes is higher for ‘light’ or ‘diet’ drinks than for ‘non-light’ or ‘non-diet’ drinks,” the researchers, epidemiologists Francoise Clavel-Chapelon and Guy Fagherazzi, said in a statement. Women who drank about 12 ounces of artificially sweetened beverages per week were 33 percent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, and women who drank about 20 ounces per week had a 66 percent increase in risk. So why is this happening? This occurs for two reasons- 1. artificial sweeteners cause in increase of sugar and carbohydrate cravings, and 2. because aspartame, the main artificial sweetener used in drinks, causes glycemia and then in turn a spike in insulin levels. (shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/study-diet-soda-increases-risk-diabetes-why-still-192600358.html)

The San Antonio Longitudinal Study on Aging, is another important study showing the negative effects of diet soda by demonstrating a strong link between artificially sweetened drinks and weight gain. Data was assessed from 474 participants- those who drank diet beverages and those who drank regular soft drinks. The results showed that diet soft drink users, as a group, experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with non-users. Regular users, who said they drank two or more diet sodas daily, experienced waist circumference increases that were 500 percent greater than those of non-users. www.uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat2.asp?newID=3861

In conclusion, reduced calorie drinks or diet drinks are extremely unhealthy and should be avoided. Montclair chiropractor, Dr. Gary Eshanov, advises patients to give up all soft drinks and to drink eight to ten glasses of fresh water daily, and more if they are engaging in sports or are in the summer time heat.

(Dr. Gary Eshanov, is a highly recommended family chiropractor in Montclair (NJ). All first time consultations should be booked in advance either by calling (973) 900-2660 or by requesting an appointment online. The Montclair chiropractic center offers chiropractic treatment, physiotherapy, and clinical nutrition.)