health

Trump believes diet soda kills cancer cells, Dr Oz reveals

Physicians issue reminder to public after TV doctor and CMS chief relays president’s claim on Don Jr podcast

Trump believes diet soda kills cancer cells, Dr Oz reveals

TL;DR

  • Donald Trump reportedly believes diet soda, specifically Fanta, has cancer-preventing properties because it can kill grass.
  • Mehmet Oz shared these remarks on "Triggered with Don Jr," a podcast hosted by Trump's son.
  • Doctors have publicly stated that diet soda does not kill cancer cells and there is no scientific evidence to support Trump's claim.
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified aspartame, a common artificial sweetener, as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B) based on limited evidence.
  • This classification indicates a potential link but not a definite cause, and does not imply cancer prevention.
  • Some research suggests artificial sweeteners may affect the gut microbiome, but do not offer cancer prevention benefits.
  • Physicians have drawn parallels between Trump's diet soda claim and his past suggestions of injecting disinfectants for COVID-19.