UK pharmacist shares claimed one-hour effects of diet cola on the body

British pharmacist Niraj Naik has circulated graphics outlining what he says happens inside the body within an hour of drinking diet cola, according to his posts. Naik, who runs a wellness blog, argues that phosphoric acid can begin eroding tooth enamel while sweeteners such as aspartam affect taste receptors and trick the body into treating the drink as sugar. He further claims the process can trigger insulin release and push the body into a "fat storage mode," and that the combination of caffeine and aspartame creates a short-lived sense of alertness while increasing cravings for the drink with regular use. Naik also says the combination can overstimulate nerve cells in some people. By the end of the hour, Naik argues, a person may feel hungrier and thirstier than before, which he says can drive consumption of sugary or fatty foods. He points to research such as the Nurses' Health Study as showing a link between regular consumption of such drinks and higher risks of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, while noting the findings do not establish causality. The World Health Organization has classified aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans," but has stressed that consumption within recommended limits does not necessarily carry a definite risk. No further details on Naik's sources or methodology were immediately available.