10 Dangerous Side Effects of Consistently Drinking Soda

Tiredness and Irritability

A single can of soda contains an entire day’s worth of sugar. Ingestion causes your blood sugar to soar about 20 minutes later, according to research, and then crash after an hour or so—leaving you feeling tired and moody. So, just picture what every day would look like if you avoided riding that emotional roller coaster.

Prone to Eating More - Especially Junk Food

Research published in the American Journal of Public Health found that drinking soda triggers your appetite, consequently subduing feelings of fullness, which leads you to eat more. Specifically, 17 percent more calories than you would've normally— in culmination, this quickly adds up.

Weight Gain

At 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar, one (average can) soda consumed every day equals an extra 51,000 calories—or 14 pounds—a year above your normal diet. The proof is in the research: An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that women gained an average of 17 pounds over 4 years when they drank sugary beverages. Even worse, research in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that consuming fructose-sweetened beverages can lead to an increase of visceral fat, which is essentially fat that wraps around your vital organs and gives you a belly.

Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

A large study published in Diabetes Care determined that drinking 1-2 servings of soda every day increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 26 percent!

Dehydration

If you think you're hydrating by drinking soda, you're likely off-base. The caffeine in many sodas has a diuretic effect, causing dehydration if you don't adequately supplement with extra water. Over time, this can lead to a slower metabolic rate, electrolyte imbalances, water retention, and even heart arrhythmia.

Increased Risk of Heart Disease

The same study also found that drinking two or more sugary drinks a day can heighten your risk of death from cardiovascular disease or stroke by 31%. It's not a stretch of facts to say that your daily soda habit could be drastically shortening your life.

Memory Issues

Research featured in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia reveals that those who drink a ton of soda experience the greatest brain shrinkage. That's an issue if you count on your brain to remember things.

Risk of Depression

Drinking four or more cans of soda every day can make you 30% more likely to develop depression, according to a 2017 study published in the journal PLoS One. This could potentially be avoided if you simply stopped drinking soda.

Tooth Decay

A single 12-ounce can of soda contains almost ten packets of sugar, coating your teeth and gums every time you crack open a can. In fact, multiple studies have shown just how deleterious soda can be to your teeth; left in soda for sufficient time, human teeth will actually dissolve. Unfortunately, despite the claims pushed by some toothpaste companies, tooth enamel can't be regrown after it's eroded—once it's gone, it's gone for good.

Joint Pain

Those aches and pains that won't go away might just be getting worse every time you put a sugary soda in your shopping cart. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that women who regularly consumed sugar-sweetened soda have an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis, so there's no time like the present to cut soda from your diet.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Drinking alcohol isn't the only way you're harming the health of your liver. The excess sugars in sodas have been linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Because sodas contain exorbitant amount of sweetener, the body cannot adequately process it, turning it into fat in the liver. Over time, this can lead to fatty liver, which can increase your risk of metabolic syndrome and early death over time.

Final Thoughts

The research is in: soda, even in moderation, is undeniably detrimental to just about every system within the human body. Consider alternatives such as tea, black coffee, or seltzers with no additives, for a safer and equally satisfying treat. Remember, there is no real contention within these analyses. Any research indicating soda is demonstrably benign or even healthy, is almost exclusively found to be funded by soda companies or other profit-driven sources. These companies cherry pick data and are certainly not acting in the public’s best interest.