A couple of months ago, I covered soft drinks and osteoporosis. In that article, I explained how these beverages affected our bone health. They have a plethora of negative effects. But, cola drinks and osteoporosis are a different story.
So, what makes cola drinks so harmful?
Well, researchers still haven’t concluded. That said, a couple of theories are quite promising.
Let’s look at them.
Cola drinks and osteoporosis share a closer link than most soft drinks
For years, we’ve known that soft drinks and bones don’t mix. But, how much of that is true? Well, not all soft drinks have the same effects on our bones.
Cola beverages include Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and more. Basically, dark beverages are usually not the way to go. In fact, they might be solely responsible for soft drinks’ bad reputation. Even diet cola drinks and osteoporosis have a close relationship.
Why are cola drinks and osteoporosis so close?
So, what makes cola drinks so problematic above their counterparts?
This famous study dives into that question. The first theory was caffeine and phosphoric acid. Of course, displacing healthier options was also relevant.
But, only cola drinks had negative results. Curiously, diet cola had similar repercussions. Decaffeinated cola was a bit weaker.
Phosphoric acid might be the truth behind cola drinks and osteoporosis
Moreover, the study mentioned that phosphoric acid intake wasn’t noticeably higher. Yet, the calcium-phosphorus ratio was.
Phosphoric acid is responsible for cola drinks’ taste. But, it can also disrupt calcium absorption. Caffeine seems to worsen these effects.
MedicineNet also agrees with this argument.
Essentially, our bodies use calcium to neutralize phosphoric acid. So, consuming more wastes more calcium. If we don’t have enough, our bones’ calcium does the job.
Cola can also replace healthier alternatives
Then, we have to think about not having enough calcium. We can drink milk, calcium-fortified beverages, and more. But, drinking lots of cola drinks can replace them.
In other words, we often choose cola over healthier options. So, we get less calcium while using more when drinking cola drinks. While not the main issue, it adds to the existing problems with colas.
Cola drinks and osteoporosis consequences seem to be worse for women
Finally, ABC News suggests that women have less luck than men. In other words, they’re more prone to these issues.
Well, that’s an understatement.
Most studies have found that these ill-effects only showed in women. They’re also more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Again, the possible causes were those I already mentioned.
Diet and decaffeinated cola drinks and osteoporosis are still a problem
As I mentioned, diet and decaf options aren’t ideal.
Diet cola only removes sugar. So, phosphoric acid and caffeine are still as high as regular cola. Decaffeinated cola drinks follow a similar story. They eliminate caffeine, but phosphoric acid remains an issue.
Remember that caffeine is bad for your bones. But, it also boosts cola’s negative effects. Eliminating it doesn’t get rid of those other effects.
Lifestyle choices still matter
Finally, the study also—sort of—confirms other theories. The women who experienced most bone loss also lacked calcium.
In other words, they had little calcium to begin with.
That means that your lifestyle is still crucial. You need to tackle bone loss on two fronts. Reducing cola consumption and boosting your calcium would be ideal.
The holistic takeaway
Of course, the best way to battle cola drinks and osteoporosis is moderation. Naturally, giving up cola drinks is optimal. But, merely reducing how much you drink could be enough.
Likewise, you could also replace it with other soft drinks. They’re still obscenely high in sugar. But, at least they’re easier on your bones.
Finding alternative treatments can also be fantastic. That takes me to The Bone Density Solution. It combines nutrition and exercise to aid your bones.
But I won’t bore you anymore. If you wish to learn more, read my official review!
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