People who drink lots of cola drinks are at an increased risk for kidney problems. Carbonated soft drinks have been linked with diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney stones, all risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Unlike other aerated drinks, which contain citric acid, cola drinks contain phosphoric acid, which gives the cola its typical tangy taste. Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 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. It was found that people who drank two or more servings of cola daily were at 2.3-fold greater risk of kidney disease. Be it diet or sugar-sweetened cola, people who consume it regularly, are at an increased risk for kidney disease. Therefore, to avoid kidney damage, one should moderate cola consumption.
Epidemiology,
July, 2007