That sode your drinkin' could make you a midget!
Drink beer!
Are Sodas Really Causing Osteoporosis?
http://osteoporosis.about.com/gi/pages/mmail.htm
Oct 21 2006
Claims that drinking a lot of soda causes bone loss are fairly common. But is this the cause of osteoporosis? Should you feel like you are being bad to your bones when you enjoy a carbonated beverage?
This is a fairly old story that periodically gets new life. The most recent buzz is based on a major study published this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that concluded cola, but not most other non-caffeinated carbonated drinks, is linked to bone loss. The study was conducted by researchers from several universities and supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
What Did the Study Really Report?
First of all, this was not the type of study that conclusively shows that soda causes bone loss, and the study authors are very careful to point this out in their journal article. zSB(3,3)
The study investigated associations between a variety of foods and
bone mineral density (BMD). A food questionnaire was sent to study participants that asked how often they consumed various amounts of 126 food items. The information from these questionnaires was compared to each participant?s BMD measured by
DEXA.
Analysis of the results indicated that women who consumed the most cola-type sodas had significantly lower BMD at the hip, but not the spine. They found no similar association in men and there was no association between BMD of the women and consumption of other types of non-caffeinated sodas.
Why Would Cola-Type Sodas Affect Bones?
It's not known precisely why soda-like drinks were linked to higher bone loss in women in this study, and the authors note that more research is needed. But other studies have proposed that people who drink plenty of sodas are likely to drink fewer calcium-containing beverages like milk. However, this study did not find this to be the case.
Two components found in cola -- but not in most other soda flavors -- are
phosphoric acid and
caffeine. Again, it's unclear if these two chemicals are the culprits.
The phosphorus part of phosphoric acid is a major component of bone mineral content, along with calcium. However, if phosphorus content of the diet is too high compared to calcium, it can alter hormone levels in a way that could increase bone loss. This should not be a problem if calcium intake is adequate.
Furthermore, caffeine can cause a very small reduction in calcium absorption. Some studies reported that caffeine also increases calcium loss in the urine, however this was later shown to be untrue when evaluated over longer periods of time. Bone health researcher Dr. Robert Heaney, professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., put the caffeine issue into perspective, saying, ?...the solution is not to decrease the caffeine intake of the Western world, but to provide adequate sources and intakes of calcium.?
Is Carbonation of Beverages Bad for Bones?<H1>Are Sodas Really Causing Osteoporosis?</H1>From C. Alan Titchenal,
Your Guide to Osteoporosis.
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Oct 21 2006
Claims that drinking a lot of soda causes bone loss are fairly common. But is this the cause of osteoporosis? Should you feel like you are being bad to your bones when you enjoy a carbonated beverage?
This is a fairly old story that periodically gets new life. The most recent buzz is based on a major study published this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that concluded cola, but not most other non-caffeinated carbonated drinks, is linked to bone loss. The study was conducted by researchers from several universities and supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
<H3>What Did the Study Really Report?
First of all, this was not the type of study that conclusively shows that soda causes bone loss, and the study authors are very careful to point this out in their journal article. zSB(3,3)
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The study investigated associations between a variety of foods and
bone mineral density (BMD). A food questionnaire was sent to study participants that asked how often they consumed various amounts of 126 food items. The information from these questionnaires was compared to each participant?s BMD measured by
DEXA.
Analysis of the results indicated that women who consumed the most cola-type sodas had significantly lower BMD at the hip, but not the spine. They found no similar association in men and there was no association between BMD of the women and consumption of other types of non-caffeinated sodas.
Why Would Cola-Type Sodas Affect Bones?
It's not known precisely why soda-like drinks were linked to higher bone loss in women in this study, and the authors note that more research is needed. But other studies have proposed that people who drink plenty of sodas are likely to drink fewer calcium-containing beverages like milk. However, this study did not find this to be the case.
Two components found in cola -- but not in most other soda flavors -- are
phosphoric acid and
caffeine. Again, it's unclear if these two chemicals are the culprits.
The phosphorus part of phosphoric acid is a major component of bone mineral content, along with calcium. However, if phosphorus content of the diet is too high compared to calcium, it can alter hormone levels in a way that could increase bone loss. This should not be a problem if calcium intake is adequate.
Furthermore, caffeine can cause a very small reduction in calcium absorption. Some studies reported that caffeine also increases calcium loss in the urine, however this was later shown to be untrue when evaluated over longer periods of time. Bone health researcher Dr. Robert Heaney, professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., put the caffeine issue into perspective, saying, ?...the solution is not to decrease the caffeine intake of the Western world, but to provide adequate sources and intakes of calcium.?
</H3>
