Cola and caffeine linked to bone disease
Saturday August 25 2001
Researchers found evidence that the caffeine in fizzy drinks helped to remove small amounts of calcium from the body, while decaffeinated cola appeared to have little effect.
However, they added, the body compensates for the loss of calcium later in the day, so the overall effect may be negligible.
The researchers were investigating the suspected links between fizzy drinks and increased risk of bone fractures that have emerged over the past few years.
Some studies have argued that the acids added to many carbonated drinks could lead to bone loss. Others have blamed natural sweeteners.
It has also been argued that people who get through several cans of carbonated drink each day may simply be drinking too little milk.
Dr Robert Heaney and Dr Karen Rafferty, experts in osteoporosis at Creighton University in Omaha, looked at the effects of seven drinks, including cola, water and milk, on 30 women.
The women normally drank between two and seven cans of fizzy drinks every day. They studied the levels of calcium needed for building healthy bones excreted in urine.
The addition of phosphoric acid or citric acid in the drinks made no difference to calcium levels.
There were small but significant, increases in calcium excretion after the women drank caffeinated cola.
"Though the caffeine in the drinks was primarily responsible for excess calcium excretion, previous studies of the effect of caffeine have shown a compensatory drop in calcium excretion over a 24-hour period," a spokesman said.
- David Derbyshire
