SATURDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- While enjoying a cola or
two every day might seem harmless enough, recent research suggests
that those tasty drinks could be compromising your bone health.
"There is enough evidence that high consumption of soda and
carbonated beverages is associated with somewhat lower bone mass in
children, and that's a real concern and people should be aware of
it," said Dr. Lawrence Raisz, director of the University of
Connecticut Center for Osteoporosis.
The exact mechanism behind the problem isn't clear, but experts
believe that drinking soda -- particularly colas -- affects bone
density in several ways. One reason may be that people who drink
colas are simply less likely to get enough calcium and vitamin D in
their diets, because the soda is replacing more nutritious
beverages, such as milk or calcium-fortified juice.
Or, it could be related to the caffeine in colas, because
caffeine has been linked to a higher risk of osteoporosis.
The third possible explanation focuses on one of the ingredients
found in colas: phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid can cause an
imbalance in the body as the body seeks to neutralize the acid with
calcium. If there isn't enough calcium in the diet, the body will
take calcium from the bones.
"Phosphate is in milk, but milk also contains calcium and
vitamin D. In soft drinks, there is just phosphoric acid and no
calcium. Extra overzealous drinking may lead to a phosphoric acid
imbalance, and if there's not enough calcium, the body goes to the
bones to restore the balance," explained Dr. Primal Kaur, director
of the Osteoporosis Center at Temple University Health Sciences
Center in Philadelphia.
Low levels of calcium are associated with the development of
osteoporosis, a disease that thins the bones so much that they're
at risk of fracture. More than half of Americans, especially
postmenopausal women, have an increased risk of developing
osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis
Foundation.
In a study that included more than 2,500 people with an average
age of about 60, researchers from Tufts University found that cola
consumption by women was associated with lower bone mineral density
at three hip sites, regardless of age, menopause, total calcium and
vitamin D intake. The women reported drinking an average of five
carbonated drinks a week, four of which were colas.
There was less of a problem with decaffeinated cola, but the
findings were similar for diet soft drinks. The researchers didn't
find an association between cola drinking and lower bone mass in
men.
Results of the study were published recently in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"Moderation is really important. If you really like soft drinks,
you don't need to take them out of your diet completely, but limit
yourself to one or two glasses" a week, Kaur said.
And, she added, make sure you're getting enough calcium and
vitamin D to protect your bone health. Vitamin D needs vary by age,
and where you live, so check with your doctor to find out how much
vitamin D you should be consuming each day. Kaur said that if
you're not getting at least 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium
daily from your diet, you should take a calcium supplement to
ensure you're getting adequate amounts of the mineral.
Another important way to prevent osteoporosis, according to
Raisz, is to exercise.
"The standard recommendation is a half an hour a day for adults
and an hour a day for kids, but
anything is better than nothing," he said. "Try to walk at
least a half a mile a day, and engage in a weight-bearing exercise
of some sort."
More information
To learn more about risk factors for osteoporosis, visit the
National Osteoporosis Foundation.
