Could you suggest How does diet soda affect blood pressure??

A new study adds yet another reason to consider scaling back your soda intake, and it's already putting beverage makers on the defensive.

Researchers from the School of Public Health at Imperial College in London analyzed the diets of nearly 2,700 middle-aged people in the U.S. and the U.K.

They found that people drinking more than one soda or other sugar-sweetened beverage a day had higher blood pressure, and that it kept going up the more they drank. After accounting for weight and other risk factors, that habit seemed to still put them at greater risk for cardiovascular problems.

Now the American Beverage Association is warning people not to jump to conclusions. In a statement sent to Shots, ABA takes issue with the study for lumping in U.S. and U.K. sodas, which are made from different sweeteners.

Research associate Ian Brown says that despite the difference, the blood pressure effects were the same across the pond.

ABA says: "Regrettably, this study does nothing more than distract the public from widely accepted and clinically proven approaches to lowering the risk for hypertension and heart disease." You know, doing the boring stuff like diet and exercise.

In the new study, the highest blood pressure levels were found in people who consumed both more glucose and fructose — the most common beverage sweeteners — and more salt. That may be because studies have shown that increased sugar consumption leads people to retain more salt, Brown says.

"It's bad news for people who like chips and fizzy drinks," Brown jokes, adding that everything in moderation is OK.

The researchers also found that people who drank more than one sugary drink a day consumed nearly 400 more calories than those who didn't. And their diets were more likely to lack key nutrients like potassium, magnesium and calcium.

"This is because they're getting the calories from these nutrient-poor sources. All they provide is the calories — none of the benefits of real foods," Brown says.

To get the results, the researchers relied on the participants to report what they ate and drank for four days in interviews with trained observers, and let researchers collect their urine and do blood pressure readings during two 24-hour cycles.

The new study seems to bolster previous research showing that cutting back even just a serving of soda a day can help lower blood pressure for those most at risk.

Still, the broader health questions raised have led to efforts to get soda out of schools, and many states to consider a soda tax.

But don't sit there sanctimoniously thinking that your diet soda is going to save you.

There have long been questions about the health effects of diet soda. But a number of studies have examined this topic, and have found no evidence suggesting a link between regularly drinking diet soda and an increase in blood pressure. In fact, some research findings seem to suggest the opposite: Diet soda actually may contribute to lowering blood pressure.

Various artificial sweeteners are on the market. All of them are judged to be safe for general use. The three artificial sweeteners primarily used in soft drinks and diet sodas are stevia, sucralose and aspartame. Stevia, a natural product, has been shown to possibly lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. Sucralose, which has almost the same molecular structure as table sugar, does not have much, if any, effect on blood pressure.

The bulk of diet sodas are made with aspartame. Aspartame does not appear to cause high blood pressure either. For example, in one study looking at a possible connection between the two, rats were fed either sugary foods or large doses of aspartame. The results showed that blood pressure went down in the group that consumed the artificial sweetener.

The most telling study, though, was done in humans. It tested blood pressure in four groups of overweight participants. Each group drank one liter of either regular soda with sugar, diet soda, milk or water every day for six months. Blood pressure in those who consumed the diet soda and the milk came down by 10 to 15 percent, compared to those who drank sugared soda.

As you are considering the amount of diet soda you drink each day, it is worthwhile to note that some population studies, called epidemiologic research, show a relationship between the regular use of diet soda and obesity. These studies also show a relationship between diet soda consumption and metabolic syndrome, and an increase in cardiovascular disorders. However, these are associations only. Some nonmedical literature you see may interpret those findings to mean that diet soda somehow causes these medical conditions. But, this type of research does not pinpoint the cause of the disorders. It only identifies factors that may be related to them.

So, diet soda is often marketed as healthier than regular soda because it contains no added sugar.

In diet soda, sugar is replaced with artificial sweeteners, which provide sweetness but few or no calories.

But just because something has no calories doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Below, we'll explore the possible health effects of drinking too much diet soda and the symptoms you might have. These may include gut symptoms, sleep problems, and sugar cravings.

First, we’ll look at the possible health effects of drinking too much diet soda.

Some scientists believe that artificial sweeteners might affect your gut bacteria.

Still, a lot of the research so far was laboratory-based, or it involved animals, not people. And, of course, what happens inside a rat won’t necessarily happen inside a person.

Turning to studies with human participants, not all have found the same effects.

Some studies in humans have found that consuming artificial sweeteners can lead to changes in the gut microbiome. But others haven’t.

Beyond artificial sweeteners, diet sodas often contain other additives, like coloring and flavoring, which may also affect the gut microbiome.

At this point, we don’t know how these changes might influence overall health, but scientists continue to look into the issue.

For people trying to lose weight, there’s some evidence that switching from regular soda to diet soda may help, to some degree.

Take one study, which tracked people for over 9 years. It found that those who regularly drank diet soda tended to have higher levels of fat around their middles, compared with people who didn’t.

But it’s important to keep in mind that weight maintenance is complex, and many factors are involved.

It’s normal for your blood sugar levels to rise after you eat or drink anything that contains sugar, like regular soda.

But for some people, these rises are pronounced, and they feel tired and hungry. Over the years, these blood sugar spikes can increase the risk of heart disease.

Because diet soda contains no sugar, you won’t experience large spikes and dips in blood sugar. So, switching to diet soda might seem like a good way to help your metabolic health.

This, they argue, may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

There’s also evidence linking artificial sweeteners with a greater risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Scientists need to do more research into the links between artificial sweeteners, gut bacteria, and metabolic health.

If you’d like to know how your blood sugar levels respond to different foods, ZOE can help.

We can also provide information about how your blood fat levels respond to food and analyze the bacteria that live in your gut. To find out more, start by taking our free quiz.

Some studies suggest that diet soda may increase blood pressure. For instance, a meta-analysis from 2015 linked this effect to both regular and diet soda.

However, other studies identified a link between standard soda and higher blood pressure but didn’t see the same relationship with diet soda. So, the jury is out.

And too much caffeine can also increase blood pressure.

Many factors influence your blood pressure, including what you eat, how much physical activity you do, and how stressed you are. It’s a complex topic, and we still don’t understand whether diet soda plays a part.

Next, we’ll look at some symptoms you might have if you drink a lot of diet soda.

A lot of diet soda may leave you feeling bloated. This is because sodas tend to be carbonated, and drinking them can lead to gas getting trapped in your system.

Also, if you have a sensitive gut, the caffeine in some diet sodas may cause diarrhea. This is because caffeine activates contractions in your digestive tract, causing food to move through your gut more quickly.

For example, if you have irritable bowel syndrome, eating or drinking a lot of certain sweeteners may cause bloating and diarrhea.

Small amounts of caffeine — usually up to 400 mg — don’t cause problems for many people. This amount works out to about 4 cups of regular coffee or 5–6 cups of tea.

But if you drink a lot of diet soda, the amount of caffeine in your day can easily add up. And too much caffeine has a well-established reputation for affecting sleep quality and quantity.

Meanwhile, studies in mice have shown that artificial sweeteners can disturb sleep-wake cycles, though researchers haven’t confirmed whether this happens in humans.

A handful of older studies, including a randomized controlled trial and a cohort study have found that artificial sweeteners may cause headaches in people who are already prone them.

Looking specifically at migraine headaches, a recent review concluded that other dietary factors, such as caffeine, were most likely to be triggers.

Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may play tricks on your brain and increase your food cravings. But scientists still need to do more research.

In one study, researchers gave participants a 300-ml drink containing either sugar, artificial sweetener, or plain water.

And they found that after the artificial sweetener, female participants ate more at the buffet. They didn’t find this in males.

Still, it’s worth noting that all the participants had fasted overnight before the study, so they were probably hungrier than usual.

In another study, researchers gave people standard or diet soda, then showed them pictures of food.

The researchers spotted differences in brain activity between the two groups. After diet soda, there was increased activation of the brain’s reward system and decreased activity in control-related regions.

Although the researchers call for more studies, they conclude that diet soda may lead to reduced inhibition and a greater desire for high-calorie foods.

Having diet soda every once in a while is unlikely to harm your overall health.

But it’s important to remember that diet soda gives you very few nutrients, and there are healthier options.

If you’re stuck for inspiration, here are some alternatives:

Diet soda is mostly carbonated water with additives like artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, and sometimes caffeine.

Having a lot of diet soda might also worsen any gut symptoms, particularly if you have a sensitive gut.

Other symptoms might include sleep problems, headaches, and food cravings, though we need more research.

As with most things nutrition-related, moderation is key. There are many other options, like kombucha or fruit teas.

If you’d like to learn more about how your body responds to different foods and receive ongoing support from trained nutritionists, you can start by taking our free quiz.

Although changing your diet soda habit may not have an effect on your blood pressure, other lifestyle changes can make a difference. For example, eat a healthy diet that is low in salt and has plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish and low-fat dairy foods.