Maybe that Diet Coke isn’t so toxic after all.
Diet sodas have long promised a dose of sweetness without the sugar overload that can fuel weight gain. But sobering research has linked artificial sweeteners to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Now, a landmark new study reveals that opening a can of diet cola might actually be more beneficial than reaching for tap water.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool recruited 493 overweight or obese adults and randomly assigned them to drink plain water or commercially available diet drinks daily.
The diet drinks contained low- or no-calorie sweeteners, including aspartame, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame-K), and sucralose.
Both groups also participated in a structured behavioral weight management program, allowing researchers to track how their beverage of choice affected their efforts to lose weight and maintain their weight loss.
By the end of the two-year study, participants in both groups had lost weight – and kept much of it off.
People in the diet drink group lost an average of about 10.6 pounds, compared to 8.2 pounds among those who drank water.
Water is known to aid weight loss by promoting feelings of fullness and temporarily increasing metabolism.
The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant, however, meaning the researchers could not conclude that diet drinks offered a significant weight loss benefit over water.
The weight loss seemed to hold up after the assisted portion of the program ended.
Waist and hip measurements decreased in both groups, while participants also saw improvements in body composition and several measures of metabolic health.
Sugar consumption also declined across the board, with a slightly larger drop among those sipping on diet drinks.
“For people trying to control their weight, non-nutritive sugary drinks offer an effective alternative to sugary drinks – and work equivalently to water over two years,” Professor Jason Halford said in a press release.
The findings add a new twist to the long-running debate over whether artificial sweeteners can actually be helpful to people trying to lose weight.
Some scientists have expressed concerns that sugar substitutes may interfere with appetite regulation, fuel cravings, disrupt the gut and ultimately make it harder to maintain weight.
In one study, researchers found that sucralose triggered greater activity in the hypothalamus — a region of the brain that helps regulate hunger — than sugar. The effect was particularly pronounced among obese people, who also reported feeling hungrier.
Researchers also observed stronger connections between the hypothalamus and other brain regions involved in motivation and decision-making.
The results raised the question of whether the artificial sweetener could influence food cravings and eating habits.
But the new long-term trial offers a more reassuring picture when it comes to diet soda and weight management.
“These latest findings show that concerns about sweeteners disrupting appetite or causing weight gain are not supported when tested in a rigorous, long-term randomized trial,” said Professor Joanne Harrold, dean of psychology at the University of Liverpool.
The data could also put existing public health guidance in a new spotlight.
The World Health Organization, for example, has advised against relying on sugar-free sweeteners for weight control, citing uncertainty about their long-term benefits and evidence from observational studies.
“This study provides the long-term clinical evidence that has been missing in international discussions,” Halford said. “We hope this data will inform future WHO public health guidance and policies.” »
In the United States, more than 140 million Americans regularly consume artificial sweeteners, often to reduce their sugar intake.
This is a laudable goal. The American Heart Association advises men to consume no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day, while women should limit their intake to 6 teaspoons.
Yet the average American consumes about 17 teaspoons per day, nearly three times the recommended limit for women and nearly double the recommended limit for men.
Gn Health
