Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyer > > Gary Gerson Advice > Pittsburgh DUI attorney Gary Gerson warns of the dangers of diet soda

Pittsburgh DUI attorney Gary Gerson warns of the dangers of diet soda

Western Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Attorney

As a Pittsburgh DUI attorney, it’s important to understand the science behind how a person’s body processes alcohol. This includes factors like body weight, the type of drinks that were consumed, the weather, and even what types of mixers you use. Mixers? That’s right. A recent study shows that alcohol mixed with diet soda can cause a BAC reading of up 18% higher compared to other mixers like regular sodas and juices.

Study shows diet soda increases BAC levels

The study used vodka, which is generally low in sugar considering it’s alcohol, and shows that people who were drinking vodka with a diet soda mixer upped their blood alcohol by 18%. Scientists say that there really isn’t much definitive evidence about the health benefits for diet soda, citing that it’s exponentially worse for your teeth and that some ingredients have been linked to heart disease. The group doing the study published their findings in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. They took sixteen people who considered themselves casual drinkers. They were each given one of three drinks—a vodka drink stirred with full-calorie soda, a vodka drink stirred with zero calorie soda, and a placebo drink. Each participant took the test three times. Each time, after the drink was taken, the subject would be given a breathalyzer test, as well as a reaction time test. In addition, the subjects were asked about how they felt about their own drunkenness, how tired they were, and whether or not they were willing to get behind the wheel of a car. According to the study, vodka with diet soda raised BACs by as much as 18%, as previously mentioned, and reports show that their reaction times were actually slower with the diet soda-mixed drinks. When asked if they felt any different, the subjects responded that they did not; however, the tests showed otherwise.