As I age I have become much more susceptible to dehydration induced muscle and joint soreness. Even when I limit my soda intake to sugar free, caffeine free, non-cola (no phosphoric acid) varieties, I become extremely sore unless I balance my soda intake with water at a minimum 50/50%. Why should this be when diet soda is almost entirely water to begin with? About the only ingredients diet sodas contain that club soda does not are aspartame, sodium benzoate, citric and malic acids, and for root beer caramel coloring.
Are you sure the dehydration is the main thing causing soreness? I find that drinking water does almost nothing to alleviate my soreness after exercise (perhaps not the same kind you have, but there is little correlation in my experience.)
At age 65 I’m at least a little sore all the time. All I can say is that it’s a lot worse if I don’t push water.
Are you sure that the soda-induced soreness is from dehydration rather than some other cause? Do you experience other dehydration symptoms such as thirst, darker urine, dry mouth, etc.?
Well that’s just it, I don’t usually experience symptoms of dehydration. But I get damn sore if I drink mostly diet soda instead of at least 50% water. And when that happens pushing water relieves it.
Are you perhaps a potential data point for the rarely sighted but plausibly real aspartame-induced fibromyalgia?
Because if so, then it’s not that the diet soda is dehydrating you, it’s that dehydration and diet soda both make you sore, but for different reasons.
I have sometimes thought I found a correlation in my own experience between aspartame consumption and muscle/joint pain. But sometimes I knock back the diet soda and don’t hurt at all. So I wouldn’t draw any conclusions from my own experience, but it sounds like your experience might be more consistent.
I’ve wondered about that, but how long do you have to avoid aspartame before seeing a difference? At least as long as I’ve given it a try I never noticed anything dramatic.
Sounds like quitting the diet soda would have basically no downside for you symptoms-wise, though?
You get very sore if you have a too-high diet soda/water consumption ratio, and reducing the soda/water ratio relieves the soreness. Okay then, reduce that ratio to zero and see if the severe-soreness episodes diminish or even stop happening altogether. Can’t hurt to try, it’s not like the soda has any beneficial nutrients anyway.
Sweet drinks (even diet sodas) trigger a craving for salty snacks in me. Salt causes inflammation.
Reminds me of the old joke:
Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this!
Doctor: Don’t do that.
A bit glib but still…if drinking the diet soda causes some pain and water works then stop drinking the diet soda and drink more water (or at least drink less diet soda and more water…find what works for you…maybe make a spreadsheet to track it). If water is too boring try tea (caffeine free if that is important). At least until you can discuss it with your doctor.
Diet soda does indeed keep one hydrated. But perhaps you are reacting poorly to the sweetener?
I did switch to flavored sparkling water, with only one diet soda a day- unless traveling, etc.
Preach IT!!
I don’t know if diet soda causes dehydration, but some diet sodas give me dry mouth.
I only know artificial sweeteners by their brand name without looking them up. Equal and Splenda, the two i like, dry my mouth out. Sweet N Low, the one that tastes like crushed up aspirin to me, doesn’t give me cotton mouth.
You don’t need the soda pop. Sugar or diet.
I would not buy them anymore.
If your shirt’s on fire wouldn’t you try to remove it?
Equal and Splenda are both mostly dextrose with maltodextrin, but Equal has aspartame and Splenda has sucralose as the sweetening ingredient.
Sweet N Low is also mostly dextrose but uses saccharin for sweetening, which many people find to have a bitter or metallic aftertaste.
I do the same. I limit myself to one diet soda a day (usually Zero Mountain Dew). For regular hydration, I’ve had good luck with a 50/50 mix of tap water and Gatorade Zero.
I gave up drinking soda of all types years ago. Now I mostly drink plain water, but if I’m working out, I add some low sodium salt to my water bottle. That supplies two electrolytes: sodium and potassium. I need those to avoid cramps and dehydration.
It’s hard to know if dehydration is to blame for joint soreness, but many other things would be statistically more likely.
In theory, the phosphoric acid in soda could alter body levels of electrolytes like calcium. In practice, seeing a professional would yield better advice than the Interwebz. In the meantime, it would hardly hurt to take a few extra TUMS a day or try small doses of magnesium or glucosamine supplements for little to modest benefit.
I’ll add to the chorus about giving up soda. One thing you might consider is switching to carbonated water. It’s an okay way to deal with soda cravings. They have many different flavors. Drink them for a while and you won’t miss soda.
Plus 1.
Colas are unnecessary. Which ever type you drink. They have no redeeming qualities.
But that’s just me.
I can’t drink them.
Everyone deserves the treats they like. Maybe don’t drink soda at all on heavy work out days. Leave it for a special treat.
Hope you can finesse it to work for you and your routine.
Just out of curiosity, do you get more thirsty after drinking things with aspartame? I have to drink water after I drink diet soda because i get more thirsty afterwards to the point where I have given up on diet soda. No one else i have talked to gets this effect so I just thought it was me.