About Type 2 Diabetes & Diet Drinks

Diabetes continues to be on the rise in the United States with 8 percent of the population currently suffering from the disease. Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent or adult-onset diabetes, accounts for approximately 95 percent of all diabetes cases. The onset of type 2 diabetes is affected by diet including drinks consumed, weight and activity level. Studies, including one published in the journal Diabetes Care in 2009, have concluded that consuming diet drinks can affect your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

• Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body is either not able to produce enough insulin (a hormone secreted by the pancreas) or the cells are not able to use the insulin available. Insulin is important because it binds to sugars (glucose) in the blood and carries it to the cells, thereby allowing the cells to absorb the glucose and use it for energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood resulting in cells starved for energy and possible damage to various parts of the body.

Artificial Sweeteners

• Diet drinks are very popular because they provide no calories, therefore people think that they are a healthy alternative to sugary drinks. However artificial sweeteners can cause more problems than natural sweeteners like sugar. Beverage manufacturers use several different types of artificial sweeteners; the two most common are saccharine and aspartame. Both of these have been scrutinized by scientists and government agencies including the Food and Drug Administration. They have been loosely linked to a variety of conditions including cancers and ulcers.

Diet Drinks and Diabetes

• According to a study reported by the American Diabetes Association in 2009, those who consume diet drinks on a daily basis have a 67 percent greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This study does not establish a causality link; however, the increased risk is enough to warrant further study as to the exact reason.

Theories

• There are several theories as to why diet drinks increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The first is that as you consume a diet drink, your body is anticipating the intake of an energy source. Because it expects glucose, the body releases insulin, but the insulin is left with no glucose to carry. This leads the body to then crave high-sugar foods. This is why some believe that consuming diet drinks actually causes weight gain instead of weight loss. Another theory is that those who drink diet drinks overestimate the calorie savings and then overconsume other foods, which leads to weight gain and a glucose imbalance, thus increasing your risk for type 2 diabetes.

Prevention

• Many medical conditions increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, including high blood pressure, obesity and a decreased level of HDL, which is the "good" cholesterol. To prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, you must increase your activity and manage your diet, following a low-fat diet that does not include diet drinks. If you wish to consume drinks that do not add calories, then stay with the most refreshing drink there is: pure and natural water.