Posted on 10/06/2006 2:57:49 PM PDT by blam
Cola Raises Women's Osteoporosis Risk
10.06.06, 12:00 AM ET
FRIDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Cola may not be so sweet for women's bones, according to new research that suggests the beverage boosts osteoporosis risk.
"Among women, cola beverages were associated with lower bone mineral density," said lead researcher Katherine Tucker, director of the Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Program at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
There was a pretty clear dose-response, Tucker added. "Women who drink cola daily had lower bone mineral density than those who drink it only once a week," she said. "If you are worried about osteoporosis, it is probably a good idea to switch to another beverage or to limit your cola to occasional use."
The report was published in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
About 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk for developing osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
In the study, Tucker's team collected data on more than 2,500 participants in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study, averaging just below 60 years of age. The researchers looked at bone mineral density at three different hip sites, as well as the spine.
They found that in women, drinking cola was associated with lower bone mineral density at all three hip sites, regardless of age, menopause, total calcium and vitamin D intake, or smoking or drinking alcohol. Women reported drinking an average of five carbonated drinks a week, four of which were cola.
Bone density among women who drank cola daily was almost 4 percent less, compared with women who didn't drink cola, Tucker said. "This is quite significant when you are talking about the density of the skeleton," she said.
Cola intake was not associated with lower bone mineral density in men. The findings were similar for diet cola, but weaker for decaffeinated cola, the researchers reported.
The reason for cola's effect on bone density may have to do with caffeine, Tucker said. "Caffeine is known to be associated with the risk of lower bone mineral density," she said. "But we found the same thing with decaffeinated colas."
Another explanation may have to do with phosphoric acid in cola, which can cause leeching of calcium from bones to help neutralize the acid, Tucker said.
One expert agrees that women should reduce the amount of cola they drink.
"I would expect this finding," said Dr. Mone Zaidi, director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City. "It's probably a caffeine-related problem."
Women should limit their caffeine intake, Zaidi said. "Caffeine interferes with calcium absorption, which results in less bone formation," he said.
This can be a problem for younger women who never develop peak bone density, Zaidi noted. "Younger women who have a lot of coke will not form bone to an extent their peers would; so, years later, in menopause, they are going to be disadvantaged," he said.
More information
There's more on osteoporosis at the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
Interesting...
"On the other hand, when I talk to women who never have a carbonated drink touch their lips...their bone scores are wonderful."
I have great bones and I eat chocolate nearly every day. :) I can't stand soda. It's the last thing I reach for when I want something to drink.
And I'm mainly a red wine drinker. It goes well with chocolate. ;)
I don't know about this. I was a heavy diet coke drinker. I went off them 9 days ago. Cold turkey. My bones have really been aching and I feel like crap.
I heard this years ago. However, I always drank ALOT of soda (diet) an alot of caffiene, up until the past year or so, and my recent bone density tests proved that my bone denisty is fabulous. Perhaps it was all that weight bearing exercise in my 20s and 30s, I don't know.
Perhaps it's genetics, as osteoporosis does not appear to run in my family.
susie
I don't think so. Phosphorous is essential to bone growth, and phosphate does scavenge calcium ions, but only to make Hydroxyapatite, the mineral component of bone, tooth enamel, and some types of kidney stones.
Here:
Phosphoric acid, phosphates and orthophosphates
Free orthophosphate is the major form in which phosphorus is absorbed from the diet. The amount and rate at which other phosphates are available for absorption depends on their enzymic hydrolysis to orthophosphates.
The level of inorganic phosphate in the blood is stabilized by exchange with the mineral deposit in the skeleton through the action of parathyroid hormone. This hormone inhibits tubular reabsorption of phosphates by the kidney and brings about demineralization of bone tissue through the action of osteoclasts.
The amount of parathyroid hormone that enters the circulation is probably regulated by the calcium level of the blood. Intestinal absorption depends on requirements and is therefore limited.
Excretion takes place mainly in the faeces as calcium phosphate so that the continuous use of excessive amounts of sodium phosphate and phosphoric acid may cause a loss of calcium.
As a result of physiological regulating mechanisms, man and animals can tolerate large variations in phosphate intake without the balance being upset.
Some investigators have considered that the formation in the intestinal tract of insoluble salts of phosphate with calcium, iron and other metal ions might result in decreased absorption of such minerals.
From studies dealing with this aspect (Lang, 1959; van Esch et al., 1957; Lauersen, 1953; van Genderen, 1961) it is concluded that moderate dose levels of phosphates do not impair absorption as shown by results from carcass analyses or haemoglobin determinations.
Doses of 2-4 g of phosphate act as weak saline cathartics.
Phosphate supplementation of the diet of rodents has been shown to lead to reduction in the incidence of dental caries and different phosphates have different powers in reducing the cariogenic potential of the carbohydrates in a diet (van Reen & Ostrom, 1962; Konig et al., 1961; McClure, 1960).
Phosphate supplements seem to exert their cariostatic effect on the tooth surface either directly during eating or by excretion in the saliva (Anon., 1968a,b).
I am very suprised this study says nothing about the effects of Potassium in colas.
I thought it was already a pretty well known thing that phosphoric acid which is in most soft drinks causes bone density loss as it blocks calcium from being absorbed and deposited correctly. Its a topic that comes up a lot and is used as reasoning to keep kids off too much soda.
And actually it makes me kinda mad that they didn't include this, or they did this study without researching basic well known reasons for this problem.
Its true women and young children should avoid too much soda if they're worried about that, but to say things like "maybe its the caffeine" seem ridiculous and lead to obvious questions like why then coffee tea or chocolate don't do the same and they don't even follow up with what else is unique about soda thats already been known for 20 years and researched to death.
LOL. We used phosphoric acid to etch aluminum on computer chips. Maybe that's why my teeth feel 'sharp' when I drink colas.
Now I really wish there was an edit function after the posts above mine, I didn't realize they mentioned phosphoric acid.
I think it has to do with the amount of phosphoric acid that is taken with each drink. Not sure of the connection, but the research is out there.
ANYTHING goes well with chocolate
health ping
If you're drinking soda, you're not drinking milk. That makes it a double whammy.
I have osteoporosis on both sides. I love all kinds of colas and chocolate. My bone score is one tick above the bad mark, but still in the good. I'm 60.
For your perusal.
"ANYTHING goes well with chocolate."
Especially MORE chocolate, LOL! :)
We have a little osteo in our females, however we usually don't have a problem with it as we have massive heart attacks and are dead before we hit the floor before osteo becomes a problem for us.
Not a bad way to go...unless you're driving, or holding a grandkid on each knee.
Oh, well. You're never gonna get out of Life alive anyway; may as well enjoy the chocolate and soda and smokes and lots of sex while you can, LOL! :)
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