Diet soda tied to stroke risk, but reasons unclear

When will the media understand that correlation DOES NOT imply causation?

This is likely, as stated in the article, that people who drink lots of diet soda ALREADY HAVE OTHER RISK FACTORS for heart attack, stroke, etc.

This is dangerous, because if you are fat and out of shape, you may think all you need to do is switch from diet soda to water to decrease the risk of stroke or heart attack.

once again LINK does not equal CAUSE/EFFECT. It does not even imply it or suggest it.

Don't ever, EVER drink diet soda. And don't drink sugary drinks(natural but way too many calories) Even avoid 100% fruit drinks(eat fruit instead). Drink distilled water, mineral water, fruit "flavored" water, and black tea/coffee. And of course alcoholic beverages(that's the most fun).

I never drink diet soda, but good to know.

I can't remember the last time I drank a carbonated soft drink, diet or not. Must have been when Coca-Cola was still sold in glass bottles with the name of the city on the bottom. No particular reason why I stopped -- just outgrew the taste I guess. I'm reminded of a line in a cartoon in the old MAD magazine, about some character who committed suicide: "He drank 25 Pepsis and belched himself to death." LOL.

Is there an evidence that specifically links Pepsi Nex with increased stroke risk?

I like it from time to time, but certainly not every day, and probably not even once a week.

Like everything else - anything is fine in moderation. Paulinusa - your advice is probably sound, but quite honestly if I drank nothing but water and followed all the other health-nut advice and ate nothing but wholefoods, no dairy, no alcohol, no sugar, no red meat, no processed foods - quite honestly I`d rather be dead anyway!

I knew diet soda was no good it tastes bad!

Diet sodas are full of chemicals, such as aspartame, whose long-term effect on the body is unclear.

Better to stick to tea, or beer if you want something fizzy.

A majority of people drinking diet soda might be over weighted. Which does not mean that diet soda will make you fatter...

Soda is poison period, It includes all carbonated beverages. The various substances in sodas are bad. For example the carbonation causes calcium loss in the bones by irritating the stomach and this irritation then gets the calcium from your blood which acts as a antacid. But the blood becomes low on calcium therefore it replenishes it from the bones. If it did not do this, muscular and brain function would be severely impaired. Then another problem occurs because of the phosphoric acid in soft drinks which causes a drawdown on the store of calcium. The picture get worse with all the cancer causing sweetners. Those that drink diet sodas do have a higher rate of cardiovascular events such as strokes, heart attacks, even a metabolic syndrome icluding high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, low levels of good cholestral, high fasting sugar and large waists. Studies indicate that their is a link, not necessarily a cause and effect, therefore this does not prove anything regarding diet soda consumption and causing strokes. Now you know why soda companies have conducted their own flawed studies using flawed methods to obtain flawed results they want. It all about profits. Conclusion: Moderation in all things. But for maintaining good health your best is water. The human body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needes water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs. So be sure to have water handy at all times by keeping a bottle when you are working, traveling, or exercising.

Good to hear, I never liked that diet taste anyway. So, Novenachama, does your theory also apply to sparkling mineral water? I only drink that.

Not to mention the brand, cola sodas may increase the risk of prostate cancer too. I would recommend you drinking Pomegranate or Masuri hyut(rose hip juice) instead, very healthy.

Diet sodas are 99% water.

Now even my diet drinks are bad for me. Well that pretty much makes it 100% now. Everything I like is bad for me.

The aspartame issue is a real one. And people should not be drinking (diet drinks/sodas) or eating this stuff (candy + foods (surprising).

Say no to aspartame, but be careful of the withdrawal symptoms = you may need help to get off this stuff.

Kiss Coca-Cola and Pepsi Zero goodbye! Are people seriously surprised that all the 'aspertime' and chemicals that make the exact same beverage suddenly taste the same without sugar or calories don't affect health? They'll probably come to a similar conclusion in 40 years about Ajinomoto.

Artificial sweeteners pose no health risks. The FDA states that aspertame, etc., are among the most extensively tested substances in human history, and they have yet to find any link to any health problems in people.

What's more, billions and billions of gallons of diet sodas have been consumed in the last couple of decades, and there hasn't been a single documented case of a health problem attributed to them. White sugar? Now THAT's the killer. Diabetes, obsesity, etc.

This study compares soda drinkers and water drinkers. The factors clearly are lifestyle-related, as people who drink water regularly have a better overall diet than those who consume soda and other processsed foods.

I thought that aspertame caused ESP?

I actually stopped drinking soda a few years ago because it just didn't taste good any more. But I still like a nice fizzy gin and tonic. I wonder which of those two eats my stomach more?

Guess we're all going to die of something, someday.

Gosh! I just hate the taste of all these nasty diet drinks! Better to drink clean water I say!

Why not just drink soda water? Like most of the aware posters here, I wouldn't touch sodas. Awful stuff and full of chemicals. Who needs it?

Just stay away from all these junk drinks.

I had a case of reverse culture shock when I went back to the States and saw rather large people ordering cake and diet soda, like it would make a difference. I guess they think that since they are "saving" calories by drinking diet soda, they can afford to eat whatever they want. The cake or other food is what's killing these people, not the soda. Completely agree with JeffLee. You can't really compare water drinkers to soda drinkers, probably completely different lifestyles.

Why should that be surprise? How can all this chemical gunk that the manufacturer stick into these carbonated concoctions to make taste and look funky be possibly healthy?

Drink (normal) beer if you want to enjoy a drink. Drink water if you simply want liquid. There really is no issue here.

reason is more fat people drink diet soda and fat people has higher risk for stroke

Jefflee "Artificial sweeteners pose no health risks. The FDA states that aspertame, etc., are among the most extensively tested substances in human history, and they have yet to find any link to any health problems in people." And you believe the FDA which gets millions of dollars in payoffs from MONSANTO? Check what a REAL MD says (who is not paid off by anyone" about aspartame and the other sweeters at mercola.com

Gee. I've been drinking diet soda since the nutrasweet brand came out back in the early 80's. I average 3 liters a day - 2 liters caffienated and 1 liter caffiene-free. I didn't realize that I've already had a stroke and died. I'm glad I read this article so now I can go figure out where they buried my body. (rolls eyes)

Some diet soda critics have suggested it can promote a sweet tooth, affecting behavior and how much of a person’s diet comes from sugary sources rather than healthier fruits, vegetables and grains.

What a crock! Since switching to diet soda, eating or drinking anything sugared gives me a sugar-headache. The only sugars I get in my daily intake are the ones found in the tomatoes on my sandwich at lunch.

Read the article, "far from definite proof". You might as well give up beer, wine, sake or sugar colas. They contain alot of sugar. Too bad beer and sake brewers cannot make their drinks with splenda for people that has sugar problem. Like anything else, moderation is the key. You might live longer if you give up salty and fried foods.

the FDA which gets millions of dollars in payoffs from MONSANTO?

LOL! Thanks for supporting my suspicion that the anti-sweetener brigrade is really just another bizarre conspiracy theory.

Sounds like someone doesn't know the difference between causation and correlation.

Isn't it because only fat people drink diet sodas ?

Well if you look around you when you're in a fast food place it always seems to be heavier Folks who order the diet drinks. If it is mostly heavy people drinking diet drinks and heavy people have more strokes then thinner folks then all one need do is the math.