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One diet soda a day increases type 2 diabetes risk by 38%


In a landmark 14-year study, researchers have found that artificially sweetened drinks raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than a third, significantly higher than those loaded with sugar. It challenges the long-standing perception of diet drinks being a healthier alternative and…

Then, the association of sweetened beverage intake with the incidence of type 2 diabetes was assessed using modified Poisson regression and adjusted for lifestyle, obesity, socioeconomic and other confounding factors. The researchers point to earlier studies that have shown some evidence of aspartame triggering postprandial insulin responses similar to sucrose (sugar), and saccharin and sucralose being linked to gut microbiome disruption and impaired glucose tolerance in as little as two weeks. Another hypothesis is that regular exposure to the kind of intense sweetness that artificial products deliver may condition the body to anticipate sugar calories that never come, affecting appetite regulation, insulin sensitivity and broader metabolic pathways.

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