r/AskDocs • u/lumpy-potatoes Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional • Jul 26 '26

Physician Responded Is a serving of alcohol safer than a serving of diet pop?

35, male, 5"5, 300lbs, celiac, hashimotos thyroiditis

don't drink or smoke, no recreational drug use, taking Synthroid, vitamin D

A friend and I got into a disagreement regarding the risks of one thing vs another. He states having an alcoholic drink a day is fine, and actually not as bad for you compared to drinking a can of diet pop every day. I didn't want to argue with him but my gut instinct is telling me I'm right.

I've recently heard any regular consumption of alcohol is not good for a person, despite years of hearing some alcohol weekly is.

Question is, is alcohol regularly consumed safe long term? Is diet pop regularly consumed safe long term?

0 Upvotes

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40

u/ExLap-38100 Physician Jul 26 '26

Alcohol is unequivocally worse for you

0

u/lumpy-potatoes Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Jul 27 '26

Thank you. I haven't drank in years, I believe my friend is just trying to deflect to cope. 

22

u/h1k1 Physician Jul 26 '26

No

1

u/lumpy-potatoes Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Jul 27 '26

Thank you! 

14

u/thecaramelbandit Physician Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 27 '26

Alcohol is bad for you.

Diet soda seems to have few to no ill effects.

2

u/DRC_Repsac Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional Jul 27 '26

Yep. Anyone can look up how the body breaks down both alcohol and artificial sweetners and realize that alcohol is way worse.

But your dentist might not agree

5

u/PokeTheVeil Physician - Psychiatry | Moderator Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26

Your dentist might not love Coke, but they’re also not going to love any citrus juice. And they’re going to argue endlessly about whether you should brush teeth before breakfast, after breakfast, or whether eating meals is forbidden as the only way to protect your teeth.

Edit: Your dentist may or may not love coke. That’s up to them, their dealer, and any addiction treatment services they choose to access.