I would not worry about it. If they are all caffeinated might try to find decaf drinks. My husband drinks fruit punch, root beer and iced tea (all 12 oz cans) with sugar. He refuses to drink sugar free. Plus he eats hard candy all the time. My thinking is: he is dying, why not enjoy what you can.

I don't think it directly can cause diabetes. Certainly the influx of sugar from drinks are not good especially for someone that is borderline. But as the brain is damaged the message to the rest of the body that controls the use of insulin could be affected. It is a knows fact that diabetics are one of those groups at a greater risk for dementia. Diabetes, especially if not well controlled can damage the blood vessels in the brain leading to dementia.

As for drinking, I assume you are referring to drinking alcohol. It is also known that getting drunk, especially binge drinking, can increase the chances of AD leading to what some call 'alcohol type Alzheimer's'. When we get drunk brain cells are killed off.

I would suggest buying non-alcoholic beer or wine and mix in with the regular until you can get her drinking all non. I also know of those whose spouse continues to drink for the course of the disease. If they don't get violent, angry, etc. they don't see a reason to fight that battle.

Hi Alan Cates. If sugary drinks give her pleasure; quality of life measures would indicate she should be given whatever it is she wants. As her appetite declines, she may need to go on a supplement. Maybe she would agree to try a milkshake made by mixing ice cream together with Boost or generic supplement? You could try flavored water or plain water if she prefers. I didn't understand if your wife already has diabetes or your are afraid she will develop same?

Been drinking the diet drinks since the 70s - I don't worry about it. Never had the side effects they say aspartame gives you but now they are replacing that with one of the others that is suppose to be safer. As soon as they started using it in drinks, all this data came out of how bad it is. Even Stevia is suppose to be bad. Sugar is sugar - all bad when too much. You can't win.

I never trusted sugar free ?