Coke Zero : Hi Does anyone else drink a... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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Coke Zero

Derby123ryan profile image
40 Replies

Hi

Does anyone else drink a lot of Coke Zero.I drink 4-6 cans a day and it is my main drink of the day.I have drunk it for years and have had issues for years.I know it’s not a good thing to drink but just wondered if any else here also drunk a lot of it

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Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan
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40 Replies
desquinn profile image
desquinnPartnerVolunteerFMAUK Trustee

looking at one person and one item is so few data points to try and explain something like fibromyalgia if this is where you are going. Some people will jump on sugar / artificial but ultimately we do not know what causes fibro from hundreds of thousands of data points.

When it comes to diet eating healthier is better no matter what condition we are talking about.

Hazel_Angelstar profile image
Hazel_AngelstarAdministratorFMA UK Staff

I used to drink mainly fizzy drinks, some water and the occasional fruit or herbal tea.

I started drinking more water and less fizzy, and now my main drink is fruit/herbal teas (I drink them hot and cold brewed). occasionally I will have a fizzy drink.

rosewine profile image
rosewine

There are two ingredients in Coke zero that appears to have given quite a few people on the site problems and they are Aspartame an artificial sweetener and caffeine. I know that artificial sweeteners don't suit me at all and we there is caffeine in quite a few other things including one of the medications I take I try to keep it to a minimum. I used to drink come as I absolutely love the taste but have felt better since only having a can as an occasional treat. I still have a can of fizzy pop each day as a treat but switched to Sprite. What suits one doesn't suit another so perhaps slowly cut down substituting it with something else, some people find drinking carbonated water perhaps with some flavouring would be a good replacement and see how you feel and if there are any improvement in your symptoms.

As desquinn says there is no substitute for a good balanced diet so if it is the sweet taste you crave have some fruit handy perhaps some oranges as you will get a sugary taste but also the juice.x

bourne profile image
bourne

Hi I'm afraid fizzy drinks is a no no due to some of the ingredients they use when you start looking at ingredients you will be surprised at what they use and how it effects you in all processed food and drink. Try and be a detective your body will love you for it. It not easy little steps Angela

Ijo1 profile image
Ijo1

Hi. I drink caffeine and sugar free coke the one with the gold top and label. Only one glass each evening. I also drink decaffeinated coffee following doctors advice. I gave up drinking any alcohol as well about 3 years ago and I do think it all helps not only with the physical side but also with sleep. We are all different but things are just trial and error for us all to see what works best for us.

Try to go without the fizzy drinks for 2 weeks and see if you notice any difference. I say 2 weeks as my doctor told me any dietary change should be tried for at least 2 weeks to get a true picture of any effects.

Stay safe everyone.

Cat00 profile image
Cat00

There is masses of data out there about the affects of sugar free/zero drinks and their role in weight gain and obessity. There is also masses of data out there about the negative effects of carbonated drinks on osteoporosis, weight gain and tooth decay. Drinking that volume of anything other than water is bad for your mouth. There has been much observation of the shrinking of the gaps between consumption generally whether it be meals, snacks or drinks. There has even been observation that we the gap between feeds with babies has shrunk. Being bombarded by constant advertising messes with our ability to resist constantly craving/consuming things. Stress in modern life also makes us turn to previously unnecessary forms of self soothing. In short the bigger the gaps between stuff you consume the better and that no good at all can come from consuming that amount of fizzy drinks a day.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to Cat00

Thank you sound advice

Cat00 profile image
Cat00 in reply to Derby123ryan

My best friend, who I adore, is heavily obese, she smokes, drinks vats of coke zero, she is in stage 4 heart failure, has lupus, Mixed connective tissue disorder, ALS, fibro the list goes on. She's a single mum of 2 disabled children, she's only 32, she's very well informed and knows its not good for her but she says she's addicted to it and just can't stop drinking it.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to Cat00

I know I think it’s the chemicals etc they put in it

Cat00 profile image
Cat00 in reply to Derby123ryan

Yes the artificial sweeteners confuse the brain, it triggers the reward expectation, when the brain doesn't receive the reward it's looks for comfort elsewhere and triggers food cravings. That is why they think people who consume diet drinks eat more, and eat more carby food overall. Not that they really know but that is the supposition.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to Cat00

Yes I believe it contributes to pre diabetes metabolic syndrome etc

Cat00 profile image
Cat00 in reply to Derby123ryan

I thought it might upset insulin levels but I haven't seen any direct data on that so I didn't want to say anything! It's funny because my friend should by all accounts have diabetes esp. bc she had gestational diabetes for at least 3 years but her family seem to possess a genetic resistance to diabetes. So that's one good thing at least.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan

Great advice thank you 🙏

moo196 profile image
moo196

Giving up diet coke and anything else with artificial sweeteners in was the best thing I've ever done wrt pain.

I'd urge you to try giving it up.... Many studies show it's also linked with cancer and diabetes.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan

Thank you

YASMINTINA profile image
YASMINTINAFMA UK Volunteer

I would normally have a fizzy can of Fanta orange but never would drink that amount of fizzy a day, does it keep you awake at night ? What sort of issues have you had with this .

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to YASMINTINA

Hi

I have been diagnosed with both chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia but not sure I have either.All the usual fibromyalgia symptoms but have drunk at least 4-6 cans of Coke Zero for many years and felt shit for just as long so just wondered if any one else had similar issues

Kevin

YASMINTINA profile image
YASMINTINAFMA UK Volunteer in reply to Derby123ryan

Hello again, I too have been diagnosed with cfs/fibro also have treated sleep apnea so days can be fairly okay or others challenging but you have to go what your body says, could you try coming off gradually and see if it helps, hard I know if you’ve done this for many years but see if replacing the coke with something different, just a thought, you have my empathy as these conditions together are not always pleasant.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to YASMINTINA

Good advice thank you

One of the biggest issues with that Poison is not sugar or Caffeine But Acid that messes your whole body up robs body of calcium/Vit D as we have our own acid levels which is what breaks down/digests food so you go plonk an unnatural amount in body so that has to take calcium from bones to neutralise the excess acid.

The Crap/Additives it like Sweeteners prevent you absorbing the nutrients from the food to replenish whats lost!

Reason why rickets have made a come back something that went years back but due to many drinking vast amounts of fizzy drinks it's made a come back and many young people when get older are in for a painful existence with bone troubles.

As the old adage goes.... you are What you Eat!

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to

Great advice thanks

KnackeredKaty profile image
KnackeredKaty

I used to drink lots of coke in my 20's. I had lots of headaches, permanent thirst, abdominal pains, and irritable bowel. I haven't drank coke for about 30 years. I don't have irritable bowel anymore (I have eliminated other foods aswell) I don't have headaches every day or a permanent thirst. I also don't have stomach cramps anymore.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to KnackeredKaty

I have had all those issues and more.Ive drunk it for 50 years and to be fair felt crap a lot of that time so I am going to try and give it up and see if my symptoms improve.Thank you

KnackeredKaty profile image
KnackeredKaty

Just to add.......when I stopped drinking coke it took about 9 months to get the effects out of my system, and I had banging headaches too. They went eventually.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan in reply to KnackeredKaty

Yes I think after drinking it for so long my body will probably go into shock lol.Its full of some bad shit but obviously my system will miss it and I will crave it like mad.

Derby123ryan profile image
Derby123ryan

Great advice I will do it that way thanks

desquinn profile image
desquinnPartnerVolunteerFMAUK Trustee in reply to Derby123ryan

at 6 cans it would be half of your RDA for caffeine so if you dink coffee or redbull on top of it then you could have maxed out your RDA. So consider all sources of caffeine and try to quantify it.

Nanie75 profile image
Nanie75

Never touched the stuff. Pure chemicals

mistymeana profile image
mistymeana

I used to drink it but found it was making my IBS a lot worse. It might be coincidence but my Fibro improved a lot once I switched to regular Coke/Pepsi. I now avoid all sweeteners (not easy since the sugar tax) just to be ion the safe side.

desquinn profile image
desquinnPartnerVolunteerFMAUK Trustee

Flawed logic. It's like comparing the effect of mentoes and Coke. Our stomach acid is much worse.

Everything in moderation and balanced diet etc.

moglen profile image
moglen

I'd come off all zero drinks as most of them have aspartamine in them which is no good for us fibromyalgia people. X

desquinn profile image
desquinnPartnerVolunteerFMAUK Trustee in reply to moglen

no research to that effect or any effect on people with fibro. In fact Aspartame is one of the most researched food additives and has not been found to be harmful.

in reply to desquinn

Depends on the person! friend of mine if has like diet coke or or sugar free things with that in gets pretty ill other wise there up out and about all the time

desquinn profile image
desquinnPartnerVolunteerFMAUK Trustee in reply to

this is the danger of on single accounts as we would never eat peanuts on this basis. I could replace peanut with gluten or lactose.

I have commented on this before and I am neither pro or anti aspartame but the amount of bad science quoted and touted around this is astounding. The extrapolation of data from single people is not a good starting point.

going back to OP - if we said is it good for you to drink 4-6 cans of anything every day be it coke zero / full fat, Redbull or strongbow cider then the answer is no it will not be good for you in the long term. Not that big a thing if you do it once in a while but generally not good for you. But the pseudoscience extrapolating amount of caffeine and aspartame and not comparing it to RDAs of these substances is flawed.

Amount of caffeine in a can is about 35 mg / 400 mg RDA

about 10% of salt in 6 cans of your RDA

Last time I looked you would need to drink about 16 cans a day to worry about your RDA on aspartame.

Lulububs profile image
Lulububs

Yeh love the stuff but about year ago got toothache and ended up at emergency dentist and first thing she said to me was “ do u drink alot of coke” i said “ yes but zero” ..

I was told it was rotting my teeth like a a childs teeth and when she cleaned them i realised they were brown ..

Never touch can since...

Esp when she said “ horrible stuff, imagine what that does to your stomach”!!!

desquinn profile image
desquinnPartnerVolunteerFMAUK Trustee in reply to Lulububs

"Esp when she said “ horrible stuff, imagine what that does to your stomach”!!!" thats a medic doing a brilliant job of behaviour modification and it worked :) It's all fizzy drinks with the acids they contain.

Lulububs profile image
Lulububs in reply to desquinn

IT WORKED!!! I did go home and ive never touched any fizzy drinks since ... or juice as me teeth are nice and white now.. lol

moo196 profile image
moo196

I was definitely addicted. But only had one can per day... Around 3.30/4pm "to get me to 5pm"at work. I had to find alternatives for the same" buzz". Used San pellegrino until the sugar tax forced them to change the recipe to include artificial sweeteners

Fizzy perrier water in a can gave a similar amount of enjoyment

Good luck!

Watch anything with "No Added Sugar" had meds with poo in them also got some Voroc multi vits(Green box has tubes of flatish round tablets that react with water made by Bayer)Well there on there way back to ASDAs later for refund or Bin!

The way to get change re things is people power.

I got Walkers to drop MSG in there crisps as badgered them and got others to played some mind games with them as use other companies as the example they soon falter and change once get to know could loose market share.

They say sugar is empty Calories but these are far worse empty calories

As the body once detects Sugar puts a process in action to deal with sugars yet with these there is nothing to deal with which then puts body out of balance as used resources for no reward why many that have used low/zero don't loose weight often put more on.

Far better of eating and drinking properly a balance as we often need such a big mixture of things and something of most keeps the system in check over just a few things the same everyday

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