If you have watched the news cycle recently, you may have seen a headline linking Diet Coke, more specifically a chemical known as Aspartame, and cancer. The news comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) is set to rule that Aspartame is a possible carcinogen this month. Before we jump to a conclusion, or throw all of our diet sodas in the trash, let’s take a closer look as to what this means, and answer the question whether or not diet coke causes cancer.
Let me get a couple of disclaimers out of the way before I receive another text or DM on Instagram:
-Disclaimer #1: Please do not use this as medical advice. It is not.
-Disclaimer #2: Yes, I drink diet sodas, and use artificial sweeteners that contain Aspartame.
-Disclaimer #3: Yes, I am slightly irritated with the press on this, as well as the messages I have received about it.
-Disclaimer #4: This is not an endorsement one way or another.
Okay, that’s out of the way. Now it’s time to take a dive. Get your suit and goggles on, because we’re about to go in.
Aspartame 101
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was accidentally discovered in 1969 (1). It is said to be 200-300 sweeter than another common sugar (sucrose), and is found in thousands of food and beverage products (2). Aspartame is a dipeptide, which means that it is the combination of two amino acids (the building blocks for protein). Quite interestingly, it is chemically not related to glucose or the sugar family, it is just a substance that tastes really sweet to humans!
Since 1981, government agencies, food and beverage boards, and scientific organizations have claimed that Aspartame is safe for human consumption. There have been over 1,000 studies of the substance, making it one of the most studied chemicals in the human food chain. This could possibly be a reason that there is so much confusion regarding its safety and efficacy. In fact, studies show that a 132 lb. human would have to consume between 12-36 cans of diet soda PER DAY to be unsafe for human consumption (3). Undoubtedly, there are individuals that fall within that range, but then again, they are probably not your average aspartame consumer.
Aspartame, and the products that contain it, is interesting to the health and fitness communities due to the fact that it is nutritionally irrelevant. That is to say, that Aspartame contains no calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, sugar, etc. I am not saying that it has no effect in the body, but scientifically speaking, it has no effect on nutritional metabolism. It is commonly consumed for weight loss, leisure, and if you are like me and my friends, its slightly addictive properties.
So that’s a little bit more about aspartame, let’s take a look at why it is in the news.
Recent News
As mentioned in the introduction, the WHO will officially classify Aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic” in July 2023. This category is actually one of four within the WHO categories that identify cancer risk: carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, possibly carcinogenic, and not classifiable.
It is important to understand how these are classified, and the requirements for such. Notably, the system is based on strength of scientific evidence, and not amplitude of risk. I think this point is really important because it means that we have to wait for the science to catch up to the reality.
As far as Aspartame, “possibly carcinogenic” indicates that there may be potential for it to be carcinogenic. This could mean many things, but the science currently is not conclusive enough to deem it in the probable or carcinogenic categories. This classification only means that it is possible.
Other Cancer Classifications
To put this into perspective, let’s take a look at some other common products and lifestyle factors and where they fall in the above WHO categories.
Alcoholic beverages carcinogenic
Aloe Vera possibly carcinogenic
Dry Cleaning possibly carcinogenic
Night Shift Work probably carcinogenic
Benzene (commonly found in sunscreen) carcinogenic
Electromagnetic Radiofrequencies (cell phones) possibly carcinogenic
Caffeine not classifiable
The Big Picture
My opinion is that the jury is still out. If there was significant evidence that it is harmful for human consumption, the WHO would’ve classified Aspartame in a different category. This is not to say that studies won’t develop in the future, but I am comfortable saying that Aspartame in moderate quantities is okay.
That brings me to a bigger point that is quite cliché: moderation matters. Life is too short to not enjoy simplicities such as a diet soda, alcoholic beverage, or use cell phones. Yet, all of these pleasures are at least possibly carcinogenic.
If you are going to make a stand against Aspartame or Diet Coke, don’t be hypocritical and use loads of sunscreen, binge alcohol on the weekends, and spend hours on your cell phone. I think there are much bigger fish to fry in the cancer debate.
Aspartame and artificial sweeteners can be useful in weight loss or fitness journeys. It is my opinion that you are much better off going for zero calorie options if they are sustainable over time. Especially when it comes to liquid calories, significant progress can be made by not consuming caloried drinks such as sodas, juices, and alcoholic beverages, but rather replacing them with diet sodas or artificial sweeteners.
So no, I don’t think diet coke causes cancer. In fact, as I write this, I am sipping on a beautiful glass of God’s nectar, AKA Diet Coke, on the rocks.
Wishing you all a great weekend.
In strength,
Coach Bender
3. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/whos-cancer-research-agency-say-aspartame-sweetener-possible-carcinogen-sources-2023-06-29/