Do diet soda's cause water retention

[ajb316]

Just wondered...

Am currently bulking so not a massive problem at the moment but does anyone know if the artificial flavours/chemicals & acids etc. in drink like diet coke, pepsi max, diet dr pepper etc. lead to water retention?

I must confess I have a severe addiction to pepsi max, was drinking around 2litres per day but have since curbed this addiciton slightly, only drinking it at weekends (so 5 days per week clean).

I have read about the concept of drink water to lose water but does this apply to diet drinks or drinks with sweetners such as splenda, aspartame etc.

Reps for useful info...

[spicyprice]

I have heard/read so many times that soda/caffeine doesnt cause dehydration (which for me results in third spacing/water retention.) But, in MY experience, drinking primarily diet soda makes me SO dehydrated.... to the point that I get choked because my throat is so dry... and makes my fingers/face swell just a bit. Not sure what the cause is, but to me its the dehydration that comes from the diuresis from caffeine.

[KingCrimson]

Hard to say really because there are lots of different diet drinks out there that have tons of different chemical ingredients in them, some which may cause water retention. I probably drink about 2 liters of aspartame diet soda per day and I haven't noticed any issues with water retention although Splenda might be different.

[FemmeFatale28]

Pepsi MAX is awwweesommmeee Im taking a break from Diet dr Pepper and picked up a 12 pack of Max I drink it like no ones business and havent noticed any water retention. I scoped out a place today that sells diet cream soda.. that will be next weeks guilty pleasure. I like the Pepsi Max though cuz the high caffeine content and ginseng.

[noethix]

Diet pepsi ingredients = water, carbonated -water-. :/

[BookMonkey]

Well, from what I was told in my college nutrition class, soda is pretty much neutral. It is not a dehydrater or a hydrater. It sort of cancels itself out on the whole playing field of hydration. The basic description my professor gave was that if water is a hydrater and alcohol is a dehydrater, soda is right in the middle.

I don't know how accurate that is for specific sodas though.

[dustinh6719]

Pepsi MAX is awwweesommmeee Im taking a break from Diet dr Pepper and picked up a 12 pack of Max I drink it like no ones business and havent noticed any water retention. I scoped out a place today that sells diet cream soda.. that will be next weeks guilty pleasure. I like the Pepsi Max though cuz the high caffeine content and ginseng.

I would kill to find some diet cream soda. Before i started eating healthy i drank it like it was goin' outta style