6 harmful effects of soda on bodybuilders

The harmful effects of soda for bodybuilders go beyond those that affect health.

The drink is basically composed of sugar in liquid form, without nutrients and can negatively affect muscle mass gain and fat burning.

This happens because the sugars in soda do not stimulate the brain's satiety centers.

You can eat until you're full at one meal and still ingest a flood of calories through soda without realizing it.

That's why this is one of the most insidious harmful effects of soda.

For someone wanting to gain muscle mass , and is already eating a lot, it is easy to exceed calorie intake through soft drinks and accumulate fat unnecessarily.

For those who want to lose weight and are on a low-calorie diet, it will be even easier to consume too many calories and prevent fat burning.

That's why it's very common to hear reports of people who started losing fat just by cutting soda out of their diet.

One of the functions of the hormone insulin is to carry glucose from the bloodstream into cells.

But when we drink soda—which contains large amounts of sugar—over time, our cells can become insensitive to the hormone's action. This is called insulin resistance.

What does this mean for those who train?

Insulin doesn't just transport glucose into cells, but other nutrients as well. And when we say "cells," we're primarily talking about our muscle cells.

If we're insulin resistant, this means fewer nutrients can reach our muscles. And if our muscles aren't getting nutrients, there's only one place for them to go: into our fat stores.

In other words, insulin resistance makes you fatter and has less muscle mass.

Even so-called unhealthy foods have some benefits.

A chicken lasagna will have bad ingredients, but it will have protein. A roast rump steak will too.

Even wine, which is an alcoholic beverage, contains large amounts of the antioxidant resvesratrol and, when consumed in moderation, can improve HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.

Soda, on the other hand, is made up of empty calories with absolutely no nutrients or benefits (even indirect ones) for those who exercise. It's just a calorie bomb full of sugar.

When we drink sugar, our brain releases dopamine, generating a feeling of pleasure.

Our brain loves and seeks activities that release this neurotransmitter. The more dopamine, the better, even if it's unhealthy.

This is why recreational drugs, which release a mountain of dopamine, are addictive.

And studies suggest that sugar found in foods and drinks can cause similar effects.

Basically, drinking soda can become addictive and create a habit that can be difficult to break.

One of the main harmful effects of soda is undoubtedly related to its high sugar content, especially fructose. Most people already know this.

What most people don't know is that excessive fructose intake, like the amount found in soft drinks, tends to directly lead to greater abdominal fat accumulation, by facilitating the increase in visceral fat.

This type of fat surrounds vital organs and often increases the risk of metabolic problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

In bodybuilding, the increase in visceral fat tends to hinder muscle definition directly since the metabolism may not function efficiently, hindering the goals of gaining mass and losing fat.

Leptin, produced by fat cells, helps regulate appetite and energy use. This hormone directly impacts metabolism and body composition in those who exercise.

When our body loses its ability to respond effectively to leptin, resistance to this hormone develops. This can increase the difficulty in controlling hunger, which can consequently increase fat accumulation by increasing calorie intake.

This can help maintain a calorie deficit or avoid overconsumption of sweets, especially for those who feel the need for something sweet in their diet.

Moderate consumption of zero-calorie soft drinks, such as two glasses a day, is unlikely to negatively impact your health or gym results, as long as the rest of your diet is balanced and your water intake is adequate, such as three to four liters a day.

Many people consider zero-calorie soft drinks to be harmful due to the presence of chemical additives, but it is practically impossible to completely avoid these components in the modern diet.

Many other processed foods, such as cheese, bread, and carton milk, also contain additives.

Therefore, the secret is to adopt the rule of balance, with 80% of your diet being natural and healthy, while 20% can include more flexible items, such as zero-calorie soft drinks, without compromising your main goal of bodybuilding.

If changing your body is a priority for you, then soft drinks should be left aside and replaced with other drinks without sugar or ingredients that are harmful to your health.

But be very careful with extremism.

The text isn't intended to create excessive alarmism about soda consumption. You won't lose results because you had a glass of Fanta sporadically, on a loved one's birthday, or when you went out for a snack you've been craving for a long time.

The issue is that many people, including those who train, end up drinking more soft drinks than water daily and are unaware that this could be harming their health and results.

When it comes to soda, the less the better.