Another reason why not to drink cola

High cola consumption linked to kidney disease

Last Updated: 2007-07-04 9:00:57 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who overindulge in cola may be putting their kidneys at risk, a new study suggests.

Drinking more than two servings of cola a day more than doubled the likelihood of having chronic kidney disease, Dr. Dale P. Sandler and colleagues from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina found. But no increased risk was seen with other carbonated beverages.

“Our study suggests that there’s something about drinking cola beverages that is associated with increased risk for chronic kidney disease,” Sandler told Reuters Health. “We don’t believe that it’s caffeine, and we don’t believe it’s the sugar.”

The likely culprit, she and her colleagues say, is phosphoric acid, which gives cola its characteristic tangy taste while acting as a preservative; in other beverages, citric acid is used. Exposure to high levels of phosphates has been linked to acute and long-term kidney damage, Sandler points out, as well as kidney stones.

People with kidney disease are advised to avoid colas and high-phosphate foods, such as meat, the researchers note in their report in the journal Epidemiology.

Sandler and her team asked 465 people who had recently been diagnosed with kidney disease and 467 healthy individuals matched by age, sex and race about the types of beverages they drank and how often they drank them.

People who drank two or more servings of cola daily were at 2.3-fold greater risk of kidney disease, the researchers found, and the risk was the same for both diet and sugar-sweetened cola. But people who drank two or more non-cola carbonated beverages daily were not at increased risk.

Sandler said other researchers should repeat the findings before sweeping recommendations can be made on cola consumption. Nevertheless, she added, “moderation is always a good thing.”

SOURCE: Epidemiology, July 2007.

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It’s been a very, very long time since I don’t drink sodas, not regularly at least. When I do drink one, it is Diet Coke with Splenda. Not any more, I guess…

I guess I must be some kind of freak of nature! I drink a LOT of Diet Coke, pretty much every day, and have for YEARS. I do have periodic episodes of Kidney Stones, but then, that runs in my family. They aren’t severe episodes either, other than two, that were 10 years apart. I know for a fact that my kidneys are working just fine though. Just had them tested in Jan. Doc said all tests came back good and they were working great. He was very pleased. Had them tested 18 months previous to that as well, same thing! So that study doesn’t make sense to me. Along with all the other stuff they keep saying that soda does to your body, I’ve had NONE of what has been stated that they do to our bodies. Apparently my stomach should have been eaten through 100 times over … according to “studies”. See what I’m saying? Am I a walking miracle, or are these “studies” just a crock? I seriously wonder just how accurate these studies are. Altho, I don’t find a study of a 932 people out of the ENTIRE world’s population to be a very accurate assesment, of what cola (or anything else for that matter) does or doesn’t do to the body. I don’t know. It just seems like they make some of this stuff up sometimes. But I may be wrong, probably am, I’m just a freak of nature! ;0)

No more Cola? A few weeks ago I was helping my 5’ neighbor by trim her 8’ shrubs. In appreciation she gave me a Diet Rite Cola. Yeah, I work cheap. This was one of those 0 calories, 0 Carb, 0 caffiene drinks. I thought it was good and I have been drinking them ever since. I also drink the Tangerine Diet Rite sodas.

My doctor told me to stay away from fuit juices since I am a Type 2. He contends that they are full of carbs, hidden sweetners, etc. I am reluctant to just drink water all of the time. I also drink a lot un-sweetened flavored iced tea. I buy the hot and cold varieties, and use them to make iced tea. I prefer the peach, mango, and lemon flavors. I am bracing for a health warning about them.

Coke adds death!

Scary for those of us who have been chugging diet drinks all these years. It’s like the aspartame nuts were on the right track but the wrong train.

An earlier study found that sodas with phosphoric acid leach calcium out of the bones and promote osteoporosis, which is a big concern to us older ladies.

Seltzer is a much safer drink because it has only the naturally occurring carbonic acid and no artificial sweeteners. It’s an acquired taste but one worth cultivating.

I gotta admit I got hooked on the diet cherry Pepsi a while back.

Kind of scary that a heavily-researched article wouldn’t touch on the potassium benzoate found in most cola - it’s known to cause kidney stones, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it (alongside the phosphoric acid) did far worse kidney damage in high quantities.

Even knowing all this, I can’t bring myself to cut down on Diet Coke. :frowning:

I have been drinking Diet Coke for years, but have had only water or iced tea for the last week. I am going to try to keep it up as I suffer from microabluminuria. (sp) I know I will have a few going forward, but I am going to try not to have my 2-3 cans a day.

Donna I have to agree with you I have always drank a lot of Diet Coke to keep my BG from going through the roof like juice does, I Love it and have had a few scares from my kidneys but nothing really bad. YET.

No water? That is amazing. To say you have no complications but a non functioning pancreas for 37 years is an ironic statement. Your body has adjusted to the lifestyle you have given it, but has been crying for help. Your sense of humor is keeping you healthy though, an illustration of how powerful thoughts are in cellular control, which is the underlying reason for what you say here being exactly true: “Some things affect one person’s body differently than someone else’s.” (people’s experiences, emotions and thoughts are more influential on cells and physical manifestations than mechanical ones)

I live on diet pop/soda, I am really addicted to it. I do drink water and milk but not as much as I should.

Wow, hello again, I only write about what I see and experience. In no way is there harm directed towards you and yes I do think you have a good sense of humor; you seem like someone fun to be around. The complications comment only means that it is ironic that we call something particular a complication (such as heart problems or kidney problems) but having a body with a non functioning pancreas is not a complication. I understand how the jargon goes, but really, does that not sound weird to anyone?

I’m sorry if the cry description hit a nerve, because it obviously did. It’s not really directed toward you in particular, but all of us. When our bodies cry we should listen, and now, collectively, humanity is crying louder and louder for us to listen more, open up more. This is why I try to bring forth new ideas and conversation. A body with many years of being poisoned with soda and chemicals, with little pure water, is going to be a very unbalanced state; working very hard to stay alive, regardless of lab results and tests.

The most important thing is what is said in the last line about experience and emotion; we see that your humor is playing into your health, combating and equalizing the other cellular situations taking place right now. It’s a compliment, but one with a very serious underlying theme.

Thank you :slight_smile: You are beautiful.