Diet Soda Impacts BAC, New Study Finds

Health experts recommend against drinking too much soda of any type. It is not the healthiest of drinks, and water is always the top choice among medical professionals. If your health wasn’t enough to get you to stop drinking soda, try this on for size: Diet soda makes it more likely that you will have higher results on a breathalyzer test.

According to a new study, subjects that drank vodka mixed with diet soda had a higher blood alcohol concentration reading than those who drank vodka mixed with regular soda. Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study aims to tell people who are avoiding calories by consuming diet soda when they drink adult beverages that they may be increasing their risk of a higher BAC result, should they be pulled over and submit to testing.

Whether it was men or women blowing into the machine, the results were the same. Those who consumed diet soda blew higher. Even though the way the study was conducted does not mirror real-life situations, it was conclusive. There were increases between three and 25 percent depending on the amount of alcohol that was mixed with the diet soda.

While there were no differences in gender as far as the study, researchers are cautioning young women to be especially mindful of the results. Why? Because young women are more likely to choose diet soda.

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence in Atlanta or the surrounding area, you need a competent attorney fighting for your rights. Hawkins Spizman Fortas concentrates in DUI law and we are here to assist you. Call us today for a free consultation or browse our website for more information about what we can do for you.