09/03/2025
No, diet soda isn’t the “safe” choice many believe.
A long-term study following more than 36,000 people for nearly 14 years has revealed a surprising risk: drinking just one artificially sweetened soft drink a day was linked to a 36% higher risk of type 2 diabetes—even higher than the 23% increase tied to regular sugary sodas.
What’s striking is that this risk persisted even after accounting for age, body weight, fat levels, and lifestyle. Unlike sugary drinks, the diet soda-diabetes connection can’t be explained by weight gain alone.
Researchers suggest artificial sweeteners may interfere with the body in several ways—by disrupting the gut microbiome, confusing insulin responses, or altering how blood sugar is regulated. Popular sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin have already been shown in earlier studies to affect gut bacteria and even trigger insulin spikes.
While more research is needed to pin down the exact biological mechanisms, the takeaway is clear: switching from sugary to diet drinks may not reduce your diabetes risk—and could make it worse.
📖 Source: Diabetes and Metabolism — “The association of sweetened beverage intake with risk of type 2 diabetes in an Australian population: A longitudinal study.”
