Soda Addict Drinks 10 Bottles of Diet Coke Daily: A Cautionary Tale

As of November 13, 2025, a 68-year-old man from Cincinnati, Ohio, named Ken Frondorf, is known by his friends and family as the "Diet Coke Guy." Frondorf has been drinking around 10 plastic 16.9-ounce bottles of Diet Coke every day for the past 20 years.

Frondorf's soda addiction began when he was diagnosed with diabetes and had to replace his sugary drinks with other alternatives. While he initially drank a variety of beverages, he eventually settled on Diet Coke as his sole drink, aside from the occasional glass of water. Frondorf's dedication to Diet Coke is so strong that he takes his morning pills with it and keeps a bottle on his nightstand.

According to experts, Frondorf's struggle to quit soda is not unique. More than 60% of American adults report drinking sugar-sweetened beverages one or more times daily. The reason for this widespread addiction lies in the way soda hijacks the brain's reward and motivation system, flooding it with dopamine and creating a strong craving for the sweet taste.

Soda manufacturers have also spent decades perfecting the flavor and delivery of their products, making them highly addictive. The combination of sugar, caffeine, and proprietary flavor enhancers triggers sensory reactions in the brain, causing consumers to crave more. Additionally, the quick absorption of sugar in soda leads to an "insulin roller coaster ride," causing blood sugar spikes and crashes that contribute to the addiction.

Despite his health concerns, Frondorf has tried and failed to cut back on his Diet Coke consumption multiple times. As he says, "It's just the taste" that keeps him hooked.