If your doctor recommends diet soda, it might be time for a new doctor

Bitter Rx

Imagine you go to your doctor with serious symptoms and he tells you to drink more diet soda.

Well, it’s probably time for a new doctor.

Because if the health issue is kidney stones, he’s counting on some questionable research to give you really bad advice.

When life gives you lemons

If you have kidney stones, you’re probably familiar with “lemonade therapy.” The high intake of citrate from lemons helps prevent stone formation.

Unfortunately, kidney stone patients need to keep their sugar intake as low as possible. So this therapy loses a lot of its appeal when the “lemonade” is actually just diluted lemon juice that’s either sugar-free or sweetened artificially.

Which brings us to diet soda.

New research tested several brands of diet sodas and found high citrate levels in citrus-flavored varieties.

Now, this is usually where researchers say we need more studies before anyone can recommend…blah, blah, blah.

But not Dr. Brian H. Eisner.

Dr. Eisner, lead researcher on the citrate study, told Reuters Health that he doesn’t suggest kidney stone patients start drinking diet soda. But then he changes his tune.

He notes that these patients ARE advised to drink plenty of liquids every day, and adds, “If drinking these sodas helps people reach that goal, then that may be a good thing.”

Sorry, Dr. Eisner–you just jumped the shark.

That’s like saying people have to eat food every day, so if eating French fries and ice cream helps them reach that goal, that may be a good thing.

Drinking water is a good thing. Unsweetened lemon juice is crazy tart, but it’s a good thing.

Diet soda? Not such a good thing. At all.

A while ago I told you about a study that followed more than 6,000 soda drinkers for four years. Subjects who drank just one or more sodas each day were nearly 45 percent more likely to develop obesity, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure.

The kicker: These results were nearly identical among regular soda drinkers and diet soda drinkers.

And don’t even get me started on aspartame–just pure dangerous junk, in my opinion. (The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports headaches, insomnia, and seizures linked to aspartame intake.)

If you have a history of kidney stones and your doctor suggests you start drinking Sprite Zero, Sierra Mist Free, Diet Mountain Dew, or some other citrus diet soda, bolt for the door and find another doctor.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

Sources:
“Citrate, Malate and Alkali Content in Commonly Consumed Diet Sodas: Implications for Nephrolithiasis Treatment” Journal of Urology, Vol. 183, No. 6, June 2010, jurology.com
“Diet Soda for Preventing Kidney Stones?” Amy Norton, Reuters Health, 5/14/10, reuters.com
“Direct and Indirect Cellular Effects of Aspartame on the Brain” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 62, No. 4, April 2008, nature.com