Take Six Diet Cokes and Call Me in the Morning?
Is aspartame as effective as NSAIDs when it comes to relieving joint pain? Nutrition Diva looks at the surprising evidence.
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
by Monica Reinagel, M.S., L.D./N.
Q. I read that Nutrasweet (aspartame) is as effective as NSAIDs with far fewer side effects. I’m surprised that this hasn’t gotten any notice from the media. I have started hydrating with Diet Sprite sometimes when I am fighting exercise-related joint pain. So far, it seems to work, but I’m not exactly a double blind study. Your thoughts?
Answer. Guess how scientists stumbled onto this surprising fact? There once was an X-ray crystallographer named A.B. Edmonson, who suffered from osteoarthritis. A.B.E. was sitting around one afternoon watching football and drank 6 cans of Diet Coke over the course of the game.
To his surprise, he noticed some improvement in his joint pain and theorized that the aspartame in the cola was responsible. Being a scientist, he immediately set up a study to test his theory. He set up a double-blind test involving one subject (himself). On separate occasions, his lab buddies gave him either aspartame or a placebo and then he rated his pain and stiffness. His scores were better after receiving the aspartame than the placebo. QED, my good man.
Since then, a couple of studies in mice have confirmed that aspartame reduced inflammation almost as much as a standard anti-inflammatory drug. The effective dosage, in human terms, was the equivalent of about 22 cans of Diet Coke. As I’ve said before, while I don’t think they are very helpful in terms of weight loss, I’m not nervous about the safety of artificial sweeteners like aspartame. You can take in ten times that much aspartame without any signs of toxicity.
On the other hand, I’m not sure the human stomach can withstand 22 cans of Coke without damage. (Plus, there’s the question of whether drinking soda thins your bones!)
Edmonson may be on to something but I don’t think I’m ready to start prescribing Diet Coke instead of aspirin just yet. I think we need more testing (in humans) to confirm the effects and figure out what the best dosage and delivery system might be. Perhaps it will one day lead to a new and better way to treat pain or inflammation.
But back to the reader’s question: An occasional diet soda after exercising doesn’t worry me. And if it seems to you that it helps with joint pain, that’s a bonus—even if it is placebo effect.
Soda Can photo from Shutterstock.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.