More research is needed to better understand exactly how diet sodas impact health, particularly compared with water, Haslam says. While this work is ongoing, it makes sense to err on the side of caution and cut back on diet sodas and artificial sweeteners, she says.
However, not everyone agrees that this is an important switch to make. “I am of the opinion that the health risks of diet sodas are overstated,” says Robert Cohen, MD, a professor in the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Though water might be the clear winner, that doesn’t necessarily mean diet soda is a truly unhealthy option, especially if it’s replacing sugared beverages in your diet.
The amount of diet soda you consume could have an impact, too, with some risks multiplying as consumption increases.
For example, a study found that women who drank several diet sodas per day had an enhanced risk of kidney disease, a common complication of type 2 diabetes. But those who had only one per day didn’t experience any additional kidney problems.