# Diet sodas and metabolic syndrome **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 24, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740 "2011-06-24T18:22:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/21 "2011-06-26T22:06:38Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > [http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.8711](http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.8711) > > As far as I know there are no long-term studies of aspartame consumption in humans, but do you really want to risk getting cancer for a diet soda? There’s more risk breathing the filthy crap around here that passes for air. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/22 "2011-06-27T02:19:41Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > [http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.8711](http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1289/ehp.8711) > > As far as I know there are no long-term studies of aspartame consumption in humans, but do you really want to risk getting cancer for a diet soda? This is the study that has been widely criticized and disregarded by many other scientists. It seems that their research methods were quite questionable - for one thing they kept going until the rats all died, even though others have pointed out that naturally occurring cancers will increase with age (other studies went on only for a pre-determined period of time). If aspartame was really a deadly poison causing cancer and MS we’d expect to see the occurrence of those diseases skyrocketing, since so many people frequently consume aspartame. But it doesn’t seem like that’s happening - increases in these diseases haven’t been nearly as large as we’d expect and mostly seem to be attributed to increased longevity and better diagnosis. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/23 "2011-06-27T03:37:54Z")
Drink up lads. Diet sodas all around…on me. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/24 "2011-06-27T22:58:54Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > Drink up lads. Diet sodas all around…on me. Hmmmm…this may be considered a terrorist threat! 😃 Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![curious11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@curious11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious11)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/25 "2011-06-28T19:31:30Z")
> [@olefin32](#): > > My wife and I have been drinking those wonderful diet drinks ever since aspartame came on the market in 1983. \ And I been retired almost 22 years! Still walking 3 miles a day and using Aspartame. 😉 I guess as long as you keep smoking you’ll be fine! ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/26 "2011-06-29T03:05:29Z")
> [@olefin32](#): > > My wife and I have been drinking those wonderful diet drinks ever since aspartame came on the market in 1983. Drink all you want and get 0 calories! For years we would kill a 2 liter bottle after our daily 3 mile walk. Also use aspartame in ice tea and for food. > > Had all that internet BS about aspartame been true we both would have been dead years ago. > > I also spent 32 years in the petrochemical industry. Everything we made or used in the process was on EPA Hazardous Chemical list. And I been retired almost 22 years! Still walking 3 miles a day and using Aspartame. 😉 Great user name/post combo! ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/27 "2011-06-29T04:44:35Z")
> **[Waistlines in people, glucose levels in mice hint at sweeteners' effects:...](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627183944.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%2Bsciencedaily%2B%28ScienceDaily%3A%2BLatest%2BScience%2BNews%29)** > > In the constant battle to lose inches or at least stay the same, we reach for the diet soda. Two studies suggest this might be self-defeating behavior. Epidemiologists report data showing that diet soft drink consumption is associated with increased... ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/28 "2011-06-29T06:24:25Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > [Waistlines in people, glucose levels in mice hint at sweeteners' effects: Related studies point to the illusion of the artificial | ScienceDaily](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110627183944.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29) Ahh, blurring the lines between correlational and causal data is the hallmark of those who wish to deceive. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/29 "2011-06-29T13:12:42Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > do you really want to risk getting cancer for a diet soda? Do you really want to risk getting rectally impaled by a unicorn just for a breakfast cereal? ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740/30 "2011-06-29T14:43:36Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Do you really want to risk getting rectally impaled by a unicorn just for a breakfast cereal? What part of “formaldehyde is a known carcinogen” do you dispute? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-sodas-and-metabolic-syndrome/586740.md?page=1)