September 25, 2025

Here's Why Drinking Soda Disrupts Your Gut Health and Weakens Immune Function

7 minutes

More than 63% of U.S. adults drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily, rapidly disrupting gut bacteria, weakening immune defenses, and damaging the gut barrier at a genetic level
Researchers found that the sugar in soda flips bacterial DNA "switches" within days, changing immune signals and gut wall strength, but stopping sugar reverses these effects quickly
Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas alter gut microbe balance, lower diversity, and promote inflammatory bacteria, harming immunity and metabolism even without sugar or calories
Inorganic phosphate in soda absorbs into the bloodstream nearly 100%, spiking hormones that deplete calcium, suppress vitamin D, stress the kidneys, and harden the arteries
Sugar and phosphate together create a rapid, sustained metabolic storm, undermining gut health, hormone balance, and cardiovascular function from multiple angles at once

...more

By Dr. Mercola

4.6

14871,487 ratings

September 25, 2025

7 minutes

More than 63% of U.S. adults drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily, rapidly disrupting gut bacteria, weakening immune defenses, and damaging the gut barrier at a genetic level
Researchers found that the sugar in soda flips bacterial DNA "switches" within days, changing immune signals and gut wall strength, but stopping sugar reverses these effects quickly
Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas alter gut microbe balance, lower diversity, and promote inflammatory bacteria, harming immunity and metabolism even without sugar or calories
Inorganic phosphate in soda absorbs into the bloodstream nearly 100%, spiking hormones that deplete calcium, suppress vitamin D, stress the kidneys, and harden the arteries
Sugar and phosphate together create a rapid, sustained metabolic storm, undermining gut health, hormone balance, and cardiovascular function from multiple angles at once

...more