# Caffeine Free Diet Soda verses water **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169 "2010-11-02T03:10:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![awalker999](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awalker999](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awalker999)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/1 "2010-11-02T03:10:32Z")
Does the human body treat the water in Sugarfree soft drinks any different than tap water? ---
**Author:** ![silk1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@silk1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silk1976)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/2 "2010-11-02T03:20:31Z")
I dont know for certain, and will defer to cites that others may bring along, but I believe so. I recall reading that one of the dangers of diet soda is that it can fool the body into thinking there is sugar to be broken down, and thus insulin levels increase. Of course, there’s no sugar, so this has implications for diabetics. As for my own emperical evidence (which I realize is not what you are looking for) - I’ve found that diet soda goes through me faster than water, and when I’m really really thirsty, nothing quenches that thirst like plain ole water. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/3 "2010-11-02T11:48:27Z")
> [@silk1976](#): > > I dont know for certain, and will defer to cites that others may bring along, but I believe so. I recall reading that one of the dangers of diet soda is that it can fool the body into thinking there is sugar to be broken down, and thus insulin levels increase. Of course, there’s no sugar, so this has implications for diabetics. Diabetic here. Diet soda does nothing to me - no need to take insulin to cover it, nor does it make my blood sugar lower, which would be the result if “insulin levels increase.” Furthermore, I’ve yet to hear any diabetic claim any connection between diet soda and insulin levels. It’s pretty much neutral as far as that aspect of things. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/4 "2010-11-02T12:17:13Z")
> [@silk1976](#): > > I’ve found that diet soda goes through me faster than water, and when I’m really really thirsty, nothing quenches that thirst like plain ole water. Is this caffeinated diet soda? If so, that’d be the reason it goes through you faster. Caffeine is a diuretic. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/5 "2010-11-02T12:55:06Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Is this caffeinated diet soda? If so, that’d be the reason it goes through you faster. Caffeine is a diuretic. The OP is asking about caffeine free diet soda. I’m diabetic as well and I notice no change in sugar levels except when I mix it with Jim Beam. That said, I’ve drunk pleanty of it over the years and it never stopped me from losing weight or made me go to the bathroom anymore than just plain straight water. It’s just carbonated, flavored water (soda water). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/6 "2010-11-02T13:52:47Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > The OP is asking about caffeine free diet soda. You’ll note I’m not responding to the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/7 "2010-11-02T14:03:02Z")
Possible link of phosphoric acid to osteoporosis > **[Soda and Osteoporosis: Is There a Connection?](https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/soda-osteoporosis)** > > If you're a soda lover, you need to be extra-vigilant about bone health. There may be a link between soda and osteoporosis that could be putting your bones at risk. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/8 "2010-11-02T14:29:46Z")
I think the carbonation makes a bit of difference, though I’d be willing to bet it’s a pyschological effect. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caffeine-free-diet-soda-verses-water/559169/9 "2010-11-02T14:54:24Z")
> [@silk1976](#): > > I dont know for certain, and will defer to cites that others may bring along, but I believe so. I recall reading that one of the dangers of diet soda is that it can fool the body into thinking there is sugar to be broken down, and thus insulin levels increase. Of course, there’s no sugar, so this has implications for diabetics. I thought this too, even bringing it up in similar conversations, but when I looked for the evidence I couldn’t find much. If I recall correctly, there were a few studies that showed artificial sweeteners can have a moderate influence on insulin secretion in rats. That was widely reported in the popular media, but the results didn’t repeat in humans. I think there some conflicting information whether or not artificial sweeteners can affect other appetite signals though. For those who want to dig through the evidence, here’s a good review article: [http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/89/1/1?ijkey=94d4da7d04914a72dfd502a0999b8422c52a9efb](http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/89/1/1?ijkey=94d4da7d04914a72dfd502a0999b8422c52a9efb)