DOES ASPARTAME IN DIET SODA CAUSE CANCER?

1 in 5 adults in the U.S. population drink diet soda on any given day, but in July of 2023, social media went nuts, telling everyone that diet soda is toxic and cancerous.

In July, the World Health Organization (WHO) categorized aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic” to humans.

However, this notice and information requires proper context.

As it turns out, what people were sharing about diet soda being toxic was correct, but not remotely close to its practical truth and application.

To understand the nuances, it’s important to know:

What is aspartame
The connection between aspartame and cancer
If you should you stop drinking diet soda

to make the best decision for your overall health.

What is aspartame?

Aspartame (an artificial sweetener in diet soda and sugar free gum) is 1 of 6 artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA.

Artificial sweeteners are human-created sweeteners with stronger concentration of sweetness than sugar.

Because of their strong concentrations, one needs about 200-2,000x less than the amount of artificial sweeteners compared to standard sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.

Thus, a sweet flavor can be added to your drink without the added calories from sugar.

However, before approving any sweetener, the FDA reviews numerous safety studies identifying any possible health harms.

The results of these studies showed no evidence that these sweeteners caused cancer or other harm to people.

But more and more research is bringing out conflicting evidence on the effects of aspartame in diet soda and cancer.

Research on aspartame and cancer

Many lab studies and studies on patterns, causes, and control of diseases in groups of people (epidemiology) have looked into the effect of aspartame and cancer.

And the International Agency for Research on Cancer which identifies causes of cancer does classify aspartame as a “possible carcinogen for humans” based on limited evidence.

While many studies have not shown an association with the development of lymphoma, leukemia, or brain cancer, some studies have shown mixed findings when it relates to kidney cancer.

Therefore, due to the information we have, aspartame has been labeled as a Group 2B carcinogen.

Group 2B is referred to a “possible carcinogen to humans.”

For reference, categorization of carcinogens are based on the following grouping:

Group 1 – known carcinogens to humans. This includes alcohol, smoking, processed meats, radiation, and certain viruses.

Group 2A – probably carcinogenic to humans, which includes working overnight, red meat, and outdoor air pollution.
Group 2B – are “possibly” carcinogenic to humans based on limited human evidence and some evidence in animals, but not both. This includes aspartame.
Group 3 – not classifiable carcinogens and not have enough adequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans or animals. This includes silicone breast implants and hair dyes.

Though Group 2B might sound frightening, the reality is that the carcinogenic effect of aspartame is not seen in quantities <40-50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.

To put this in perspective:

A can of diet soda = 200-300 mg of aspartame per can.
If you weigh 70 kg (154 pounds) you could “safely” drink up to 2,800-3,500 mg of aspartame a day.
That’s the equivalent of about 9-12 cans of diet soda a day (that’s a lot of cans).

Thus, diet soda does not become “carcinogenic” until you are drinking 9-12 cans a day.

Most adults will drink 1-2 cans a day at most.

Therefore, practically speaking, diet soda would not contain enough aspartame to be harmful to your body.

Nevertheless, more research still needs to be done, but 1-2 cans of diet soda is safe to drink.

Diet soda may help you lower cancer risk if used correctly in proper context

Here is why:

Diet soda does not contain any cancer-fighting properties, but with the rise in obesity, diet soda may be a practical tool to help you lose weight if you use it correctly.

In the U.S. alone, over 80% of the population is either overweight or obese, and this accounts for over 40% of cancer diagnoses each year.

Gaining weight year after year actually increases your risk for 13 different cancers, and sugary drinks can contribute to a yearly weight gain 7-10 pounds.

Thus, studies suggest that the use of 0-calorie drinks, such as water, diet soda, and sparkling water, may help you reduce calories and ultimately lose weight.

So, by switching to 0 calorie drinks like diet or sparkling water, you might be able to lose fat.

While water and diet soda don’t have cancer-fighting properties, their ability to help you lose fat would greatly decrease your risk of cancer.

This is not to say diet soda is good for you, but that the use of 0-calorie drinks may help you in your fat loss journey.

Most of our online coaching clients are able to lose 2-5 pounds of fat in their first 1-2 months just by switching to 0 calorie drinks.

More than just switching to 0 calories drinks, they also follow our guided steps on how to lose fat, which we have outlined for free in our fat loss guide.

This guide includes: