I agree with the last writer. I drink Pepsi One because it is one of the few diet soft drinks in my area that have sucralose and not aspartame. I don't know from what I have read whether sucralose was a part of the study or not. I suspect that it wasn't since so few soft drinks contain it.
Keith Jonesof NJ3:07PM February 10, 2012
I drink close to 6 glasses of diet soda a day. I had a stroke 3 years ago and lost most of my hearing in my right ear. Today I heard about the 61% chance of having a stroke due to diet soda. I am happy to say I have not had a soda all day. I actually cried when I heard that. I am afraid I might loose the hearing in my left ear so I am going to maybe have a couple sodas a week from now on and that is it.
Jodiof IL11:15PM October 23, 2011
I still feel diet soda is preferable to regular due to the sugar and carbohydrates in regular. I prefer Splenda to all other sweeteners in oatmeal, tea, diet sodas, etc. I think the real stroke link is probably sodium and here again all diet soda are not created equally. Ginger Ale has less than cola products. Caffeine also probably enters the picture and again some diet sodas have more and some have none. Strokes and cholesterol are also linked to genetics. Were any of these factors screened in your study?
Like all the health reports and studies this one leaves more questions than answers. I do know that after a lifetime of struggling with weight and undergoing a Gastric By-pass, losing all the weight I needed to, and regaining some of that lost weight, diet sodas can fill you up and save some calories and even prevent you from eating more caloried foods if used properly. Too much of anything, even water, can be harmful. I for one as a 62 year old will not stop using diet sodas. I will be more cognizant of sodium levels and try to limit it to one or two per day or less, but into everyone's diet must come some things that are consumed for the enjoyment of it. The older we get the more important some satiaty in our eating and drinking becomes to us. If one has lived 70 or more years and survived without strokes, a little enjoyment in food and drink are in order.
Jean Delafchellof FL11:47PM February 16, 2011
I still feel diet soda is preferable to regular due to the sugar and carbohydrates in regular. I prefer Splenda to all other sweeteners in oatmeal, tea, diet sodas, etc. I think the real stroke link is probably sodium and here again all diet soda are not created equally. Ginger Ale has less than cola products. Caffeine also probably enters the picture and again some diet sodas have more and some have none. Strokes and cholesterol are also linked to genetics. Were any of these factors screened in your study?
Like all the health reports and studies this one leaves more questions than answers. I do know that after a lifetime of struggling with weight and undergoing a Gastric By-pass, losing all the weight I needed to, and regaining some of that lost weight, diet sodas can fill you up and save some calories and even prevent you from eating more caloried foods if used properly. Too much of anything, even water, can be harmful. I for one as a 62 year old will not stop using diet sodas. I will be more cognizant of sodium levels and try to limit it to one or two per day or less, but into everyone's diet must come some things that are consumed for the enjoyment of it. The older we get the more important some satiaty in our eating and drinking becomes to us. If one has lived 70 or more years and survived without strokes, a little enjoyment in food and drink are in order.
Jean Delafchellof FL11:44PM February 16, 2011
Sure, start with a group of elderly persons and follow them for 9 years and you betcha some of those folks are going to have a stroke. We were taught in nursing school that "everyone is at equal risk for a stroke at anytime". Truly, we have no way to know what our anatomy and it's mistakes are until it's too late and something has gone awry. Further more they are talking about people with metabolic syndrome, I think the diet soda is a red herring here. Those folks already HAD risk factors for heart disease and stroke. I think this was a lot of hooey designed to stir up the simple masses.
Marlaof IL10:05AM February 15, 2011
The link could be very simple: People who drink diet soda are already overweight or obese which increases the risk of stroke. I believe this is a poor use of probability and statistics but I'm only an Industrial Engineer, not a Doctor so...it is only the opinion of a lay man.
Juan J. Ramirez
(Inventor of Heat Retentive Plates)
Juan J. Ramirezof TX4:22PM February 11, 2011
Has anyone else noticed that such studies offer a steady stream of contridictory evidence. The only thing I believe is that smoking causes cancer and that you should eat a balanced diet in moderation. All the sugar is bad this, trans fat that, cholesterol this and saturated fats that. The medical community doesn't know squat. Sorry. Eggs were bad. Eggs are good. Alcohol is bad. No it is good. Unless you are a women. Unless you are a pregnant woman. No wine is what is good. No it is any alcohol. Except beer. Saturated fats are bad. No, they are actually good and trans fats are bad.
Here is what I think -- do what your grandmother told you and eat your vegetables first, don't overdo it on sweets, and balance your calories in with calories out. Then ignore all this stuff.
This study really does not suggest that anyone change their behavior. It's a good example of media exaggerating a bit. The sampling, measures, and other issues make it highly preliminary. For a good discussion of these issues and the media coverage, see:
For all of those who got scared after reading this article, you might want to check out this article which gives lots of good alternatives to diet soda: http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Healthier-Alternative-to-Diet-SodasCaramel-coloring-Free-Sodas
I'm definitely trying one of these natural sodas from now on.
Tinaof FL11:55PM February 10, 2011
It's my understanding this study wasn't peer-reviewed and hasn't been published in a reputable journal which, in my opinion, makes it a bunch of sensationalized crap.
It's the equivalent of making an outrageous statement with potentially spurious data supporting the claim. Need an example? How about Pons and Fleischman's claim of fusion at room temperature? Ring any bells? If not, look it up. There's a reason studies are rigorously peer-reviewed before being published in a reputable journal.
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Keith Jones of NJ 3:07PM February 10, 2012
Jodi of IL 11:15PM October 23, 2011
Jean Delafchell of FL 11:47PM February 16, 2011
Jean Delafchell of FL 11:44PM February 16, 2011
Marla of IL 10:05AM February 15, 2011
Juan J. Ramirez of TX 4:22PM February 11, 2011
Todd McKay of GA 2:59PM February 11, 2011
Karl of NY 9:54AM February 11, 2011
Tina of FL 11:55PM February 10, 2011
Kurt of MA 4:26PM February 10, 2011