# Excessive consumption of Coca Cola



## Jayden1 (Jun 18, 2013)

Over the past 3 months I have been drinking upwards of 2.5 litres of either Coke, Diet Coke, or Pepsi MAX (mostly Pepsi MAX) What are the health issues associated with my addiction?


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## Stuart (Jun 18, 2013)

Your teeth tend to fall out and you get fat

*Source: Very good friend


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## Chris1 (Jun 18, 2013)

im gonna say dental problems, coke (actually, all fizzy drinks) rot your teeth!

Doesnt matter that theyre sugar free, the acidity is what kills the enamel.

oops snipercap beat me to it,....


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## CptLici (Jun 18, 2013)

Caffeinated? Dehydration.


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## littlemay (Jun 18, 2013)

2.5 L _a day_?

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## Skeptic (Jun 18, 2013)

Dental problems, diabetes, stomach ulcers, osteoporosis, obesity, caffeine addiction and an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Bummer hey.


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## smileysnake (Jun 18, 2013)

I love coke but not as much as that lol


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## Vixen (Jun 18, 2013)

Just go cold turkey, it's not that hard. I used to drink as much as the average person - but decided one day I didn't want to anymore.

After a week or so you won't even crave it, and your body will thank you for it too!

I don't think i've touched the stuff in over 2 years.


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## Grogshla (Jun 18, 2013)

cant be good for your stomache mate.


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## disintegratus (Jun 18, 2013)

Sounds really stupid, but I've been struggling with a coke (liquid ) addiction for years now. 
At it's worst, I was drinking around 2.5L a day as well. I found it easiest to go cold turkey, and make a conscious decision to drink water instead of coke. While I was drinking coke, I didn't actually notice any particular bad effects, and in 25 years I've had one filling so far. 
But when I stopped drinking it constantly and started drinking water instead, I felt better, had more energy, was better hydrated etc. 
I wouldn't bother with the "diet" stuff, as far as I know, it's actually worse for you than the sugary stuff. The false sugars apparently cause cancer, but more to the point, they cause the same chemical reactions to happen in your body, (release of insulin etc) but there's no sugar to neutralise, so long term use I believe has been linked to diabetes. (although, take that with a grain of salt as long term consumption of high amounts of sugars will have the same effect anyway.) 
On a side note, a guy that my stepdad used to work with drank about 3.5-4L of coke or pepsi per day for around 8 years. He eventually got sick from it, the doctor told him if he didn't stop he would die. He didn't stop, he got diabetes, didn't manage it properly and he ended up dying by about 64.


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## borntobnude (Jun 18, 2013)

Jayden1 said:


> Over the past 3 months I have been drinking upwards of 2.5 litres of either Coke, Diet Coke, or Pepsi MAX (mostly Pepsi MAX) What are the health issues associated with my addiction?


 Ask my father ,, he drank 2ltr of coke driving to Cairns and 2ltr driving back to Mission beach daily ,, Sorry you cant ask him --he is no longer with us :cry: Actually died of emphysema, but the coke did not help his Diabetes and his doctor did try to stop him drinking it for about 5 years but apparently it causes deafness as well . Its something that I have never drunk . Cold Turkey is the way to go but it must be WILD :lol:


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## Shotta (Jun 18, 2013)

would cordial be just as bad as coke??


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## CptLici (Jun 18, 2013)

Nilesh said:


> would cordial be just as bad as coke??



Drinks that weigh you down and what to swap to instead


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## saximus (Jun 18, 2013)

I was similar but not as bad as you but I gave up soft drinks (and a lot of other bad foods/drinks) about four months ago. I'm now 15 kilos lighter and feel so much better just in everyday life. You may be surprised how much these things really affect you. You can't fuel a race car on crap, why would you want to fuel your body with it? 
If you're having trouble giving up cold turkey, maybe try swapping it. I love the fizziness so now if I have a craving I just have soda water with a bit of lemon juice


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## slim6y (Jun 18, 2013)

Perhaps read about this woman from NZ:

Invercargill Mother Dies From Too Much Coke | Stuff.co.nz

I think this can answer all your questions in one


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## slide (Jun 18, 2013)

Chris1 said:


> Doesnt matter that theyre sugar free, the acidity is what kills the enamel



Acidity of coca cola = pH 2.45 = not good. 

Aaron


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## Ramsayi (Jun 18, 2013)

slim6y said:


> Perhaps read about this woman from NZ:
> 
> Invercargill Mother Dies From Too Much Coke | Stuff.co.nz
> 
> I think this can answer all your questions in one




This bit made me roll my eyes. "The family did not consider Coke was harmful because its labels do not contain warning signs."

Drinking too much water can kill you too,perhaps they should issue a health warning.


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## treeofgreen (Jun 18, 2013)

I'm another who has quit the fizzydevil. Since dropping the fizzy drinks my stomach issues nearly all went away (the last of the issues went away when I became vegetarian). I cant believe I went for 10+ years just dealing with sore and upset stomach all the time. I have also noticed that i RARELY get headaches anymore, which I used to get alot also. Its honestly like I am a new person and I love the extra energy!!

I say quit it, it will only do you good.


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## harlemrain (Jun 18, 2013)

Infertility is another thing that can be caused from all those preservative. 

And I say infertility meaning either low sperm count or motility, it won't make you go sterile lol if you quit it will help your boys swim better


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 18, 2013)

2.5 L per day is a lot, but it's better than the same amount of beer or wine or spirits.
The caffeine in it is a duiretic , makes you pee (lots) so you wind up drinking more in hot weather.

I'm a lifelong Coca-Cola addict from way back and apart from some extra kilograms about my midsection it's done me no harm. I limit myself to about 1 L per day but will frequently drink more if it's a hot day and while up late (better than coffee or tea or No Doze).


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## slim6y (Jun 18, 2013)

Ramsayi said:


> This bit made me roll my eyes. "The family did not consider Coke was harmful because its labels do not contain warning signs."
> 
> Drinking too much water can kill you too,perhaps they should issue a health warning.



Didn't say that Invercargillians were intelligent


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## andynic07 (Jun 18, 2013)

The diet stuff is just as bad if not worse. It contains aspartame and here is a few reasons it is bad.

5 Reasons Aspartame Is Bad for You / Nutrition / Healthy Eating


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## nintendont (Jun 18, 2013)

I quit smoking and drinking alcohol and I am trying to quit coke too but it is pretty hard. If I have 1 can a day I'm happy but its generally 3 or 4. Quitting ciggies was hard but I reckon coke is harder...which might surprise most! 
I'm not fat...maybe gay fat but straight thin and my teeth have seen better days but thats not from coke, its from fists and gutters lol


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## slim6y (Jun 18, 2013)

andynic07 said:


> The diet stuff is just as bad if not worse. It contains aspartame and here is a few reasons it is bad.
> 
> 5 Reasons Aspartame Is Bad for You / Nutrition / Healthy Eating



Oh please... Come on. Show some science here Andy - I see not one shred of scientific evidence of any of that hyped up rubbish. On saying that however, I prefer my sugar to be real. I don't like diet drinks or diet that. But the evidence that aspartame can cause the damages that page suggests - with no evidence to back it up (not one peer reviewed example at all) I think we can rest assured that aspartme in drinks isn't as bad as some people would like it to be - though, necessary? Not all.


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## smithson (Jun 18, 2013)

slim6y said:


> Didn't say that Invercargillians were intelligent


Hahahahaha love it slim6y !!!


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## andynic07 (Jun 18, 2013)

slim6y said:


> Oh please... Come on. Show some science here Andy - I see not one shred of scientific evidence of any of that hyped up rubbish. On saying that however, I prefer my sugar to be real. I don't like diet drinks or diet that. But the evidence that aspartame can cause the damages that page suggests - with no evidence to back it up (not one peer reviewed example at all) I think we can rest assured that aspartme in drinks isn't as bad as some people would like it to be - though, necessary? Not all.


Aspartame May Be More Toxic in Men than Women


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## slim6y (Jun 18, 2013)

Andy - sorry mate, no offence, but Mercola is a known anti-science fanatic. Show me one peer reviewed item that backs his claims. Mercola is anti-vaccination, anti-science and all to sell his supplements which, funny enough, the FDA have told him he is marketing illegally. 

Forgive my ad-hominem attack on Mercola - but this guy is a complete quack. Here's one letter the FDA sent to Mercola Meditherm Inc. 3/22/11

And a little article to go with it  FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims


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## moosenoose (Jun 18, 2013)

It wouldn't sound so bad if you'd told us you mixed it with either rum or whiskey (any spirit would have sufficed) 

Ps: I didn't see the age if the OP, so disregard my post if you're 12 or something :lol:


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## Marzzy (Jun 18, 2013)

Uncle got diabetes from drinking it all day everyday. The only good thing about it was going over there to have some cause a fridge was dedicated to coke.


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## andynic07 (Jun 18, 2013)

slim6y said:


> Andy - sorry mate, no offence, but Mercola is a known anti-science fanatic. Show me one peer reviewed item that backs his claims. Mercola is anti-vaccination, anti-science and all to sell his supplements which, funny enough, the FDA have told him he is marketing illegally.
> 
> Forgive my ad-hominem attack on Mercola - but this guy is a complete quack. Here's one letter the FDA sent to Mercola Meditherm Inc. 3/22/11
> 
> And a little article to go with it  FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims




There is plenty of stuff on the internet talking about the bad side effects of soft drinks and aspartame. Do you honestly believe that all the stuff in them drinks is good for you? There are plenty of small studies around carried out by small institutes showing the negative impacts of certain ingredients of soft drinks. Also I would be sure that the OP is having many times the FDA approved ADI of each of the ingredients and it can be this that the FDA does not look at to see what effects it may have on people. The FDA has not banned Macdonalds because it is not until you exceed the ADI that there is a problem. You can say till you are blue in the face that the FDA says aspartame is safe to drink but I guarantee that a person who drinks two litres of diet coke a day will have a lot more health issues than a person who drinks two litres of water a day.


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## slide (Jun 18, 2013)

lizardwhisperer said:


> ...the caffeine in it is a duiretic , makes you pee (lots) so you wind up drinking more in hot weather......I limit myself to about 1 L per day but will frequently drink more if it's a hot day


It also dehydrates you, making you thirsty so you drink more to try and hydrate...viscious cycle!
I bet its not any good for your kidneys or liver when drunk regularly in large volumes.
I cant say I dont drink it myself but I dont drink as much as I used to...unless I have a bottle of appletons rum then its game on! Oh look, theres one, Mmmmmm


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 18, 2013)

slide said:


> It also dehydrates you, making you thirsty so you drink more to try and hydrate...viscious cycle!
> I bet its not any good for your kidneys or liver when drunk regularly in large volumes.
> I cant say I dont drink it myself but I dont drink as much as I used to...unless I have a bottle of appletons rum then its game on! Oh look, theres one, Mmmmmm



Sure does. 

Fortunately my kidneys and liver and everything are fine (even the colesterol). First things my GP had checked were these before I was started onto HT meds (my BP was a little elevated a few years back , it's perfect now , but still on the meds). . 

Now if someone was diabetic or had deseased kidneys , I think they'd be in medical trouble if drinking even 1.25 L of Coca Colar per day or they would soon develop problems (as well as gaining weight if they are not burning the calories somehow).


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## garthcapper (Jun 18, 2013)

if you were to eat the amount of sugar in a can of coke you'd spew it up but there is a certain chemical that tricks the brain into not knowing there's actually that much in it,
just something to think about, and diet coke zero are worse than normal coke as the others have said


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## Zardez (Jun 18, 2013)

lizardwhisperer said:


> (better than coffee or tea or No Doze).


Coke is MUCH worse than coffee or tea, No amount of coke is good for you, many studies show that a cup of tea or coffee a day has many health benefits.

Ditch the soft drinks ASAP, and start on the road to recovery


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## baker (Jun 19, 2013)

Anyone have a link to a scientific peer reviewed journal article on any claims made? So far most stuff I see is just stuff that is found on health sites or in weekly magazines without back up.
Cheers Cameron.
Ps I know it is bad for you but I would like to see some hard proof for peoples claims.


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## Wockner (Jun 19, 2013)

Teeth issues would be the first thing you can expect.


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 19, 2013)

Zardez said:


> Coke is MUCH worse than coffee or tea, No amount of coke is good for you, many studies show that a cup of tea or coffee a day has many health benefits.
> 
> Ditch the soft drinks ASAP, and start on the road to recovery




Nah, I like them.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 19, 2013)

There are a number of misconceptions being bandied about as fact...
The sweetener Aspartame has been the subject of thorough investigation, perhaps more so than any other food additive. It was also the subject of a number of internet hoaxes making fallacious claims about its supposed effects. For example, when I read that the “American Cancer Council is hiding the real facts about aspartame from you” I was quite confident the article I was reading was fabricated. The Wikipedia page on Aspartame is a good starting point, well referenced and you can checkout the hoops it’s been through. I read a few of the damning articles and by my reckoning, given the stuff was in frequent use when I was growing up, if it really does to you all the things that it is purported to, then half the current population should be hospitalised or dead. One interesting point that none of the articles raised is the danger to those suffering the genetically inherited disorder Phenylketonuria (PKU) due to the formation of the amino acid phenylalanine when aspartame breaks down. 

There is nothing added to aerated soft drinks to trick your mind. They contain phosphoric acid, a flavouring, and carbonic acid, the fizz. Acids are sour and sugar counteracts that sourness. So you average sugar-based can of fizzy drink has around 10 teaspoons of sugar in it. The acid is not great for your teeth but exposure to it limited in time and saliva coating the inside of the mouth and the teeth helps to reduce the effects of the acid. Put simply, the effects on your teeth are not as bad as is often made out.

The real danger from excessive consumption of standard coke or other fizzy drinks, many fruit juices, flavoured milk or any other form of highly sweetened beverage, is the amount of sugar consumed. This is often referred to as the “hidden calories” because it doesn’t feel like you are eating food. This can represent a significant calorie intake and when added to that taken in with more solid food, it is not difficult for your calorific intake to exceed the calories you need and are using. This results in calorie storage through internal deposition of fat. If this is allowed to continue unabated it can result in obesity.

High blood sugar levels do not directly cause diabetes. High blood sugar levels when obese are a major contributing factor. That is Type 2 of course. Some of the combined effects of obesity and diabetes on the body are very nasty, such as reduced peripheral circulation and resulting cell death requiring amputation of toes or even portions of the foot etc 

If you are particularly active and using the calories or drink high sugar beverages in moderation only, there is no health issue attached. Coke and a number of other beverages do contain caffeine, which is physically addictive. A reason why a lot of people drink only Coke – because other similar beverages do not satisfy the need for caffeine. If you are addicted then within 24 hours of stopping you will experience mild withdrawal symptoms for a day or so. These are usually a general feeling of malaise, enervated, irritable and possibly headaches. Basically you feel like crap for a day or two. After that you will quickly return to normal. The difficulty then can breaking the habit you have established that gives you your ‘hit’. Exercise and releasing endorphins can often help here.

Blue


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 19, 2013)

It always interests me that you never see thin people drinking diet drinks... they obviously don't work - the fat people I know who change from sugar-based soft-drink to the diet stuff to lose weight just stay as fat as they always are...

It's all about either being too lazy, or having other issues which prevent the person from taking serious action to control their weight. I used to be keen on these things, and even Scotch Finger biscuits, to the point where I was compelled to eat them when I was bored, but decided I needed to control my intake rather than be compelled to eat them. Haven't had a Scotch Finger in 2 years, and maybe have a can of Coke every 2 or 3 months when I need an energy hit. 

After a few days it's easy, and I've lost around 15kg and feel so much better... I also do weights at the gym 3-4 times a week because my motivation is high.

Jamie


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## borntobnude (Jun 19, 2013)




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## shell477 (Jun 19, 2013)

Pythoninfinite said:


> It always interests me that you never see thin people drinking diet drinks...
> 
> Jamie



I just wanted to point out here, people drinking diet drinks arent always doing it to try manage their weight. I am diabetic and once or twice a week will have a 600ml diet coke. 

The amount of times that someone has served me, and said with a look of disdain 'why are you drinking diet coke? you're not on a diet are you, don't be stupid, you're not even fat' etc etc, and I just look them in the eye and say ' I am diabetic. I can't have sugar. Thanks' and then they just shut up. So don't assume!


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 19, 2013)

shell477 said:


> I just wanted to point out here, people drinking diet drinks arent always doing it to try manage their weight. I am diabetic and once or twice a week will have a 600ml diet coke.
> 
> The amount of times that someone has served me, and said with a look of disdain 'why are you drinking diet coke? you're not on a diet are you, don't be stupid, you're not even fat' etc etc, and I just look them in the eye and say ' I am diabetic. I can't have sugar. Thanks' and then they just shut up. So don't assume!



I had no intention to offend 477, and I do realise that not all users of these products are trying to lose weight. My comment was directed at overweight people who may think that they can lose weight just by using these products, rather than combining it with lifestyle changes.

Jamie


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## Ash1990 (Jun 19, 2013)

I drink 2L +/ day when studying for my exams, its the only way i can concentrate and sit still for 2 weeks reading endless piles of notes. I tend to quit after exams, but it makes me grumpy and irritable for at least 2 weeks after till the cravings stop and then I tend to not drink it unless Im driving long distances or exams start up again. I got really bad headaches when cold turkeying from it, but so far haven't seen any effects on my health from taking that much, except for the slight weight gain, which drops off when i stop drinking it.


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## shell477 (Jun 19, 2013)

Pythoninfinite said:


> I had no intention to offend 477, and I do realise that not all users of these products are trying to lose weight. My comment was directed at overweight people who may think that they can lose weight just by using these products, rather than combining it with lifestyle changes.
> 
> Jamie



You didnt offend me, was just pointing it out in general. Sorry if it seemed like my post was a dig at you.


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## andynic07 (Jun 19, 2013)

slim6y said:


> Andy - sorry mate, no offence, but Mercola is a known anti-science fanatic. Show me one peer reviewed item that backs his claims. Mercola is anti-vaccination, anti-science and all to sell his supplements which, funny enough, the FDA have told him he is marketing illegally.
> 
> Forgive my ad-hominem attack on Mercola - but this guy is a complete quack. Here's one letter the FDA sent to Mercola Meditherm Inc. 3/22/11
> 
> And a little article to go with it  FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims


After a bit of research I am ready to say I was wrong about aspartame being as bad as it is said to be but as with anything I am sure overindulgence would be a bad thing. I usually am a science first person but for some reason got caught up in the smoke and mirrors of this one. I am sure without that my claim about water being a lot better for you is also true.


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## OldestMagician (Jun 19, 2013)

I drink 2+ litres of Pepsi Max a day... Although I don't drink any other fizzy stuff because I either find it gross or is way too sugary and not refreshing. 
Although I do drink a lot anyway, I probably put away 6 litres of sugar free cordial when I'm at work (6 litres made up, not neat)


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 19, 2013)

Think you'll find the artificial sweeteners are not the problem, it's the additives used to make the drink taste better after including them.

Also few fat people are fat because of laziness or stupidity. Many things influence weight gain and inability to shift the extra kg. There is a multibillion dollar industry that takes advantage of fat peoples' desires to look thin which does more harm than good.


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## garthcapper (Jun 19, 2013)

regular cardio vascular exercise, healthy eating and you can't go wrong,


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## buffcoat (Jun 20, 2013)

Look up the different uses for Coke. It can be used to clean battery terminals and blood stains. 

I stopped cold turkey drinking sodas of any kind. Every now and then I get a hankering for a root beer, take a drink and realize how sweet it is. 

Just from not drinking soda I almost immediately lost 10 lbs. 

Edit: here's a list I found for some of those uses http://www.wisebread.com/51-uses-for-coca-cola-the-ultimate-list.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 20, 2013)

*Ash1990*, you are using the caffeine, and not the sugar hit, to allow you to burn the candle at both ends to study and yet remain bright eyed and bushy tailed. I would suggest the reason it takes you two weeks to recover is that you are sleep deprived and no longer getting the adrenalin rush in concert with the caffeine. 
*OldestMagician*, you are a caffeine addict.
*Lizardwhisperer*, Which of the additives in following contents of Pepsi Max are a problem and why?
Carbonated Water, Caramel Colour, Phosphoric Acid, Aspartame, Potassium Benzoate (Preserves freshness), Caffeine, Natural Flavour, Acesulfame Potassium, Citric Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA (To protect flavour), Panax Ginseng Extract.
Phenlyketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine

*Jamie* is quite right in his statement that you can give up soft drinks but not lose weight. If your calorie intake has exceeded your calorie usage, you will put on weight. If you then remove the intake of excess calories, your weight will remain stable instead of increasing. It is only if your calorie intact is below your usage that you will lose weight. This can be achieved by eating less than you need – not a good idea as you will be depriving your body essential nutrients it requires from the food you eat. Alternatively, if your metabolism is increased through exercise, the body will start to utilise stored calories to provide its energy needs and you will begin to lose weight.

My personal belief is that weight loss should NOT be your primary goal. There are far too many unhealthy weight loss diets out there along with supposed fat burning pills and magic food supplements or foods you should never eat etc. A healthy balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg, a reduction in sugars and cereal products, due to their high storage of carbohydrates, reduced fat intake, especially saturated fats, is a good first step as it will provide your body with all that it needs without overloading the calories. What is REALLY important though, is fitness. Not muscle size or strength but cardio-vascular and respiratory fitness. You can be obese yet still develop a high degree of cardio-vascular fitness. If you maintain that then over time your obesity will reduce. So exercises like swimming will provide a much greater benefit to those overweight than a gym workout. Control your cholesterol through diet and your blood pressure and lung capacity through appropriate exercise. Don’t worry so much about what the outside of the body looks like – it is what the inside is like that is important!!!

Blue


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 20, 2013)

I'll let you search that out.

mm... "Natural Flavour" could be just about anything now couldn't it.


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## mungus (Jun 20, 2013)

Erection Problems :lol::lol:


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## Sezzzzzzzzz (Jun 20, 2013)

Heres my 2 cents: My dad died from bowel cancer at 31 which was aggravated by the amount of diet coke that he drank (6l a day). In saying this I haven't learnt my lesson, I love the stuff, but only a can a day (average) unless I mix it with rum and then its a fair bit more. I went on weight watchers about 2 yrs ago and swapped from regular coke to diet coke and did lose a fair bit of weight, but have since made up for it with chocolate lol. If you are really worried about your excessive usage of Coke, id suggest as others have that you go cold turkey.


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## Sami-Lochy (Jun 20, 2013)

You wouldn't cheat on your partner or your mates, so why would you cheat on yourself dude. If your drinking more than a litre a week you need to seriously reconsider. Caffeine addiction is nasty, people need to be aware about the mentaland physical repercussions.
i bet you have trouble waking up in the morning from the excessive caffeine intake. And you wouldn't believe the strain you are putting on your internal organs, especially your heart.
drink a fruit shake instead. Don't be lazy, buy a blender, not a juicer but a blender, blenders leave only the juice taking away important fibre. and start your day off by drinking a complete vegetable and fruit mix. I.e. kale(an antioxidant and helps prevent cancer), celery, pear, apple. You won't feel like drinking or eating anything bad if you start your day off the right way!


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 20, 2013)

*Lizardwhisperer*,
I have done my research and there is nothing more conclusively stated about the “natural flavours” than what you have said. Don’t get me wrong here. I am not totally denying that there may be health risks with some of the constituents given excessive consumption. I look at it a bit like salt (NaCl) – absolutely necessary for so many of our body’s functions. Without it you get majorly ill very quickly. Yet an excess amount over a prolonged period is extremely detrimental to our health. Moderation is key to avoiding ill health. 

*Sezzzz*,
I am glad you said “aggravated” and wish to point out to those reading this is that this does not, in any way, indicate a causal relationship. *Sezzzz*, was it the continuous high levels of acid that were to blame. 6L of any beverage per day is staggering. Adult humans require only 1L to 2L of water per day to replenish that lost through sweat, breathing and voiding urine. That aside, it cannot have been easy for you in those circumstances. 

Chocolate is known to be addictive, more so with women, and therefore generates cravings. The explanations vary widely from it releasing the same chemicals in the brain as are released during orgasm to it stimulating the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, with the calming and other effects it has, with numerous other suggested scenarios in between. Damn! So that’s why women prefer chocolate to sex... less effort and no issues about who arrives first. I reckon half a block of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk before the “Are you awake Darling?” might just be the go. On a more serious note, chocolate addiction can be a major issue. It should either be tackled directly with the help of appropriate medical personnel or counteracted by an on-going regular exercise routine that consumes the excess calories taken in.

*Se2741*,
In the sentence "blenders leave only the juice taking away important fibre" I believe you meant to say "juicers" rather than "blenders".

Blue


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## thesilverbeast (Jun 20, 2013)

andynic07 said:


> I am sure without that my claim about water being a lot better for you is also true.



PURE water can kill you, even in small amounts!!  You need all the other crap in natural water to make it safe.


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## ingie (Jun 20, 2013)

I recently completely quit drinking coke zero, because I realised I was not drinking any water, and was really craving more coke all the time. I think I was so dehydrated for so long, that I stopped feeling thirsty, and really struggle to drink a lot of anything, unless I force myself to carry a water bottle and finish it. Since quitting coke, my cravings for fast food have basically ceased to exist, as I think I was only craving the coke zero, not the actual food.

Unfortunately, after quitting coke, I started a chocolate addiction and was buying and eating whole blocks several times a week. (This was pretty recent). It took me a little bit to notice that I had traded one addiction for another, and now I am trying to lessen the amount I eat, but am certainly not willing to give up all chocolate haha. It is really hard though and I struggle to go to the shops without buying chocolate. I feel ridiculous that I give in so often when it seems so simple to just not buy it or so much of it, but when I am looking at it in the shops I literally start to salivate and just can't resist. I was even buying it in secret and hiding it so no one would see how much of it I eat!

I don't smoke, rarely drink alcohol (be licky to have any even once a month) don't like tea or coffee, so that is a plus for my health I guess, just have to lay off the chocolate.

Now that I have written the word chocolate so many times, my mouth is watering and I have a strong urge to go to the shops and buy some hahahaha


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## andynic07 (Jun 20, 2013)

thesilverbeast said:


> PURE water can kill you, even in small amounts!!  You need all the other crap in natural water to make it safe.


Not sure what you are talking about mate , can you please explain?


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 20, 2013)

ingie said:


> I recently completely quit drinking coke zero, because I realised I was not drinking any water, and was really craving more coke all the time. I think I was so dehydrated for so long, that I stopped feeling thirsty, and really struggle to drink a lot of anything, unless I force myself to carry a water bottle and finish it. Since quitting coke, my cravings for fast food have basically ceased to exist, as I think I was only craving the coke zero, not the actual food.
> 
> Unfortunately, after quitting coke, I started a chocolate addiction and was buying and eating whole blocks several times a week. (This was pretty recent). It took me a little bit to notice that I had traded one addiction for another, and now I am trying to lessen the amount I eat, but am certainly not willing to give up all chocolate haha. It is really hard though and I struggle to go to the shops without buying chocolate. I feel ridiculous that I give in so often when it seems so simple to just not buy it or so much of it, but when I am looking at it in the shops I literally start to salivate and just can't resist. I was even buying it in secret and hiding it so no one would see how much of it I eat!
> 
> ...



Another of my addictions - chocolate (love the stuff) , and dark chocolate is good for you.

Mountain Dew is pretty good too (looks suspiciously yellow but tastes great and also has caffeine).


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 20, 2013)

andynic07 said:


> Not sure what you are talking about mate , can you please explain?


maybe he's referring to bottled spring water (which isn't sterilised), and is often marketed as "pure" AND PEOPLE pay more for per litre than a litre of petrol with the misguided opinions that it's better for them than regular run of the mill tap water is or that tap water is somehow unhealthy.


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## andynic07 (Jun 20, 2013)

lizardwhisperer said:


> maybe he's referring to bottled spring water (which isn't sterilised), and if often marketed as "pure".


Possibly but I was not under that impression because he stated that we need all of the the "other crap" in natural water. I agree that our bodies require vitamins and minerals that would be contained in "natural water" but think that we also could get these from other places and be fine drinking pure water.


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## Cougar2007 (Jun 20, 2013)

I believe he may be referring to RO/DI water. Or pure h2o there is a belief around that our bodies are so used to having a mix of elements in our water, that drinking pure water would leach vital nutrients out of our kidneys and eventually kill us. In saying that I know plenty of people who have drunk RO/DI water for years and are still kicking


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## baker (Jun 20, 2013)

What he is talking about with pure water is water that has been distilled to the point it contains no minerals, trace elements or anything, except H2O molecules. In this state water is incredibly dangerous to ingest. If you do drink it even if its just a small amount through osmosis trying to balance everything out your body will be stripped of all minerals and trace elements until equilibrium is reached. And by remove all minerals I mean from everywhere including your bones. I remember on of the first safety warnings that I got in high school chemistry was to never drink disstilled water for the given reasons. 
Cheers Cameron


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## saximus (Jun 20, 2013)

Taken from here:
"And pure water does not leach minerals from our body because as it enters the mouth it mixes with our natural fluids and ceases to be aggressive."

Maybe I'm crazy but I assumed he was having a joke and talking about drowning...


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## thesilverbeast (Jun 20, 2013)

Yeah, I'm talking about pure water in its purest form... nothing but molecules of H2O. In our water theres a whole heap of other stuff like salts and other ions to basically "stabilise" the water when we drink it, its the same as the water in our bodies. PURE H2O though, when we drink that, the ions in our body will leave our cells and try to make it all equal with the water you just ingested. This can kill us. 
The pure water is also known as "deionised or distilled" water.


It was a tongue in cheek remark to remember that ANY substance can have a negative spin to it if you look hard enough.


Although now that I've started the debate, no it doesn't leach it from the bones... it leaches it from the cells that it comes in contact with and thats just as dangerous.

Althought this debate kind of goes for my point of view, ANY substance will have evidence for or against as why why it can/can't be dangerous which is what was happening here. I think a lot of people need to understand the significance of peer reviewed sources as opposed to an anti-*insert ingredient here* website.


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 20, 2013)

thesilverbeast said:


> Yeah, I'm talking about pure water in its purest form... nothing but molecules of H2O. In our water theres a whole heap of other stuff like salts and other ions to basically "stabilise" the water when we drink it, its the same as the water in our bodies. PURE H2O though, when we drink that, the ions in our body will leave our cells and try to make it all equal with the water you just ingested. This can kill us.
> The pure water is also known as "deionised or distilled" water.
> 
> 
> ...



Oh boy. Sorry but deionized water and distilled water have no more risk attached to them than regular tap water.

Who ever told you the rubbish you just posted doesn't have a clue.


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## slim6y (Jun 20, 2013)

Post made in error - sorry... Didn't see all the other posts here that covered it...


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## lizardwhisperer (Jun 20, 2013)

It's the Ksp (solubility product) that drives the solubility of "stuff" in water (pure or otherwise) and the rate at which stuff is leached into aqueuous solution .... a little bit of knowledge of chemistry goes a long way.


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## BloodRunsCold (Jun 20, 2013)

how bout a litre of jack danieles with coke don't kno how you chap's can drink diet/ max urrrrrrgh yukky lol can brushing after help reduce acidity also im a 13 year old so I know everything like that saliva can reduce build up lmao just jokin maybe horn y ness can produce more saliva hahahaha?


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## BloodRunsCold (Jun 20, 2013)

thesilverbeast said:


> Yeah, I'm talking about pure water in its purest form... nothing but molecules of H2O. In our water theres a whole heap of other stuff like salts and other ions to basically "stabilise" the water when we drink it, its the same as the water in our bodies. PURE H2O though, when we drink that, the ions in our body will leave our cells and try to make it all equal with the water you just ingested. This can kill us.
> The pure water is also known as "deionised or distilled" water.
> 
> 
> ...



i'd rather drink rain water the alien's will take us over, I drank rain water for a week with frogs living in the tank and I felt like bruce lee by the end of it explain that


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## Skeptic (Jun 20, 2013)

thesilverbeast said:


> Yeah, I'm talking about pure water in its purest form... nothing but molecules of H2O. In our water theres a whole heap of other stuff like salts and other ions to basically "stabilise" the water when we drink it, its the same as the water in our bodies. PURE H2O though, when we drink that, the ions in our body will leave our cells and try to make it all equal with the water you just ingested. This can kill us.



Yeah... that's a load of crap. Inject it straight into your veins and you're gonna have a problem but drinking it WON'T kill you.


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## thesilverbeast (Jun 21, 2013)

My point is theres speculation and both sides of the scale for all ingredients of just about anything and that its easy to get caught up into hype of badmouthing a certain product without any form of peer reviewed evidence.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 21, 2013)

As already stated... what happens when distilled water hits your mouth, and then mixes with the contents of your stomach? Guess what... it instantly becomes just a more diluted mess of saliva and then gut contents, with all the things we need to remain healthy - it ceases to be "pure" the minute you take a swig. If you think the miniscule amounts of impurities in our "normal" drinking water add anything significant to our metabolic needs, you've got rocks in your head.

Distilled water is just a good for hydration as any other potable water, but it tastes bloody awful.

Jamie


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## Asharee133 (Jun 21, 2013)




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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 21, 2013)

*Baker*, I was hoping someone else might do this. Sorry to be the one to tell you, but it sounds like your chemistry teacher was more interested in stopping students drinking distilled water in the labs, than providing a proper understanding of what really happens. 

Osmosis is effectively “selective diffusion” occurring across a semi-permeable membrane. In reality, the membrane is more likely to be differentially permeable or selectively permeable (but we leave that for another day). Diffusion occurs where there is an unequal distribution of the concentration of a fluid substance (gas, liquid, solution). The concentration will even out due to random movement of the particles. Put simply, the probability of a particle moving from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration is greater than vice versa as there are more particles in the region of high concentration and less in the region of lower concentration. This will continue until the concentrations are equal.

All living things are made up of cells. Each cell is surrounded by a cell membrane. This membrane is not a just a sheet with tiny holes in it. It is a complex assemblage of lipids and proteins, containing mechanisms that can facilitate the active transport of materials across the membrane, as required. Water molecules are a particularly small molecule, having a molecular weight of only 18, and the cell membrane is freely permeable to its passage either in or out of the cell. This is why all living cells are only capable of living in a fluid environment and multi-cellular living things existing outside this environment must have some form of effectively waterproof covering and a source of water to replace that which is inevitably lost by cells interacting with the external environment.

Cells exposed to pure water will take on water as the cytoplasm of cells is lower in water concentration due to the many solutes present. The increased volume of water in the cell causes expansion of the cell. This increased internal pressure of water is physically measureable as hydrostatic pressure. When the osmotic pressure of water moving into the cell is equal to the hydrostatic pressure inside the cell, then equilibrium is reached and no more water will be taken in overall. At the same time solutes would move out of the cell if the cell membrane allowed them to. However, cell membranes are not freely permeable to most of their solutes and will they will actively seek to retain those few that they are partially permeable to. Excess consumption of water simply leads to an increased volume of urine. The nephrons, the ‘filtering’ units of the kidneys, do not have to work as hard at active secretion of unwanted waste due to the dilute nature of the urine but active reabsorption of desired solutes would require more effort. The net effect of producing more dilute urine is probably zero up to a fair volume. It certainly puts much less strain on the kidneys than insufficient water or a significant excess intake of various solutes. 

Now drinking something like sea water is dangerous. It results in dehydration for the above reasons. Severe dehydration results in electrolyte imbalance and the impaired functioning of cells, including the cell membrane – effectively a double whammy. Just as an important aside, if you were lost and getting dehydrating, even drinking your own urine, a rather weak salt solution, will likely do more harm than good. It is advised against by survival manuals, which is what annoyed the hell out me about the Bear Grylis episode (one of several) where he recommended it. Interestingly, they actually had a disclaimer accompany that episode.

I hope that sets the record straight for you *Baker*. It is worth doing a little reading on, but try not to get bogged down in the complexities and variations of cell homeostasis.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 21, 2013)

Some have got this and some seem confused...
“Pure water” in the strict meaning of the term is a theoretical ideal but extremely difficult, if not impossible to achieve. Distilled water is close to be pure water. Double distilled water even more so and so on. The level of purity obtained in distilling of water is dependant on a range of factors but all should give very low solute content in the end product. De-ionised water may have considerably higher levels of solutes. I would imagine an authority somewhere sets the permissible limits, but I don’t know. What it should lack is any soluble substances capable of dissociating into ions – usually salts.

My understanding is that de-ionised water is designed for used for use in metallic systems, such as engine cooling systems, to avoid the effects of more reactive metallic ions that are often present in other sources of water. These more reactive ions replace the existing metallic atoms of the system, reducing its integrity. Commonly referred to as corrosion of the metal. 

Note that I have deliberately omitted mentioning the incredibly small amount of water molecules that dissociate into hydrogen and hydroxide ions, as they are not significant in terms of any chemical influence. If you are curious, ask.

I don’t know what “RO/DI” stands for.

Blue


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## baker (Jun 21, 2013)

Hey I am more than happy to be wrong on this. It has been so long since I have learned this and is a good revision before I start a chemistry course next semester at uni. I,am sure that I will have to get down into all the fun stuff of cell homeostasis at least once through my degree. 
Cheers for that BLUE, Cameron


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## Bluetongue1 (Jun 23, 2013)

Thanks Cameron, that’s good to know. I decided it was best explained in the context of human consumption but then felt awkward that it too up so much space – but better that than people rushing off to hospital because someone has given them distilled water as a joke. If I can be of any assistance with the course, feel free to PM me. I was a Biol/Human Biol teacher by trade but have a bit of Chem in the background.

Cheers,
Mike


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## baker (Jun 23, 2013)

No problem. I am more than happy to be proved wrong on things, its the only way to learn. I will let you know how I go in my course. I am doing a dual major of zoology and ecology so will be focusing mainly in biology. Luckily for me I find it a very simple subject and have never had any trouble with it. Just doing one chem course to get a better grounding in science and makes it easier if I ever need to change things up in the future.
Cheers Cameron.


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