There are some people who genuinely believe that drinking diet versions of soda is a healthier alternative—it’s not—but now, there’s scientific evidence that it’s affecting your body more than you think, especially if you’re a woman.
In this study, 524 women undergoing IVF treatments were interviewed by nutritionists. Though their general diets were monitored, the nutritionists focused primarily on the women’s daily consumption of hot and soft drinks. And they found a link between artificial sweeteners and lower fertility rates.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the research also shows that the use of added sugar in soft drinks and coffee resulted in poorer quality of eggs and embryos. Not all scientists agree with this finding though; some believe that lower pregnancy rates can also be attributed to obesity, which is a common side effect of regular soda consumption. Duh.
The Chairman of the British Fertility Society, Professor Adam Balen, weighed in on the findings of the study: “There should be more scrutiny of food additives and better information available to the public and, in particular, those wishing to conceive.”
This article originally appeared on Cosmo.ph.
Minor edits have been made by the Femalenetwork.com editors.
