Is Diet Soda Making You Sad?
New facts on the fizzy stuff
Don’t count on it. New research from the American Academy of
Neurology has found that sweetened drinks—especially of the diet variety—are
associated with a heightened risk of depression.
Emotional Health
Depression
The study began back in 1995, when researchers started tracking
263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71. For a year, investigators
measured participant consumption of beverages like soda, fruit punch, and
coffee. A decade later, study enrollees reported on whether or not they had been
diagnosed with depression in recent years.
Even after researchers adjusted for a host of factors, including
age, sex, race, education, marital status, and physical activity level, the
link between sweet stuff and depression remained clear: Those who downed at
least four cans of soda per day were 30% more likely to suffer from depression
than people abstaining from pop, and people who consumed the equivalent in
fruit punch were 38% more likely to develop depression.
Here’s the worst news for those who prefer calorie-free drinks:
Those who consumed diet soda and diet fruit punch had an even greater risk of
depression than those who drank sugar-sweetened drinks. “Our findings are
preliminary, and the underlying biological mechanisms are not known,” explains
study author Honglei Chen, MD, PhD, a tenure-track investigator in the
epidemiology branch at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS). “[But] they are intriguing and consistent with a small but growing
body of evidence suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages may be
associated with poor health outcomes.”
This isn’t the first time that science has taken the fizz out of
diet soda. Studies have linked the drink to kidney problems, weight gain, and
even cell damage. Next time you need a pick-me-up? Consider one of these
healthier alternatives for a refreshing boost:
Coffee. The soda-shaming study
wasn’t all bad news. Coffee drinkers who enjoyed four cups per day were about
10% less likely to develop depression than their java-free peers. That’s no
surprise, since coffee is rich in antioxidants and might even protect against
diabetes.
Green tea. It delivers the
caffeine kick you crave, plus a lot more. In addition to fighting cancer and
lowering blood pressure, green tea is a natural brain booster: It contains an
amino acid called theanine, which enhances mental performance, according Keri
Glassman, RD.
Super smoothie.
Whip one up at night, and save it to enjoy at work tomorrow. Fruits and veggies
are natural mood lifters, but so is chocolate—toss in a dark variety for a
healthy helping of caffeine.
Published January 2013, Prevention
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