# Colas....a health hazard?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 8, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886 "2003-08-08T19:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nikjoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@nikjoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikjoshi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/1 "2003-08-08T19:21:32Z")
Do you think that Colas are SUCH a big health hazard as some people potray them??? I have been drinking cola all my life and I am as fit as a fiddle!!! Comments please. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Mariachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71c47a/32.png) [@El\_Mariachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Mariachi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/2 "2003-08-08T19:52:16Z")
[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=121426](http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=121426) šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/3 "2003-08-08T20:01:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Comments please. One question mark or exclamation point per sentence is sufficient to convey emphasis, thanks. Seriously, though, it would be helpful if you could describe, or post a link to, specific claims of the health hazards you mention. Are these hazards strictly limited to colas, or do they pertain to all carbonated soft drinks? Iā€™ve always been under the impression that there are in fact clear health hazards associated with drinking to excess of carbonated, sugary, caffeine-laden beverages. Glad you have not suffered any ill effects, but if you are under thirty, your assertion that you are ā€˜fit as a fiddleā€™ doesnā€™t reassure me a whole lot. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/4 "2003-08-08T20:44:28Z")
I went to a health seminar as part of a larger retirement seminar. The nutritionist there was emphatic about the drinking of ANY soda, not just those with caffeine or sugar. Her contention was that excessive soda drinking upsets the pH balance in your body and wreaks havoc on your system. I canā€™t say if thatā€™s true, but it seems reasonable, and my wife and I quit drinking soda almost entirely at that point. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/5 "2003-08-08T20:45:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nikjoshi \* > \*\*Do you think that Colas are SUCH a big health hazard as some people potray them??? I have been drinking cola all my life and I am as fit as a fiddle!!! Comments please. \*\* Do you recognize the phrase ā€œsample sizeā€? ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/6 "2003-08-08T21:48:38Z")
I drink Pepsi like its liquid sex, and iā€™m thin as a anorexic stick, but i also run alot. Mostly itā€™s the caffeine i need. I also drink large amounts of tea. Cola is bad for your teeth, so have water around so you donā€™t sit with lots of acid on your teeth for a while. And know your limits regarding unhealthy food. besides that, there is no real problems with cola in general, execpt not enough people know Pepsi is the best! šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/7 "2003-08-08T22:10:37Z")
It depends on the person. People who are diabetic or pre-diabetic, obviously the sugar is going to be a big problem. With diet coke, many people are aspartame sensitive. People who drink it all day, especially those with naturally weaker teeth, are likely to experience dental erosion. Everything in moderation. Iā€™ve repeatedly heard that flat coke is one of the best things for rehydrating the body after a stomach upset/bad diarrhea. May be total rubbish. Or maybe next year coke will be the new soy (though I doubt it). ---
**Author:** ![nikjoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@nikjoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikjoshi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/8 "2003-08-09T15:26:09Z")
thanx guys for all the repliesā€¦ according to me, a can of cola a day woudnl`t hurt your body muchā€¦ well thatz my opinion! ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Angel\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_Heart)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/9 "2003-08-10T05:00:51Z")
> [@](#): > > flat coke is one of the best things for rehydrating the body after a stomach upset/bad diarrhea. Coke syrup is used to relieve nausea. Last time I was recovering from a stomach bug, I lived off of flat ginger ale. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/10 "2003-08-10T13:45:06Z")
Caffine is not restricted to coke alone, but it and coffee has some of the highest amounts of it. So lets look at the dangers of caffinated colas first!- Caffine has many dangers, some of which are listed here: 1. Caffine is treated as sugar by the body, glucose actually, and so insulin can be released due to itā€™s intake. 2. Because of the way caffine is treated by the body, it also competes with Vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals including Calcium. This can lead to deficiencies if caffine is taken in large amounts. (like drinking pop all day long for weeks and months at a time) 3. Caffine causes stress hormones to be released and raises blood pressure and homocysteine levels (which damages artery walls), constrics blood vessels and can cause irregular beating of the heart. 4. Effects the nervous system causing Anxiety, irritability, anger, panic attacks, depression; changes brain chemistry; decreases overall mental acuity; fatigue; insomnia; headache. 5. Exhaustion of the adrenal glands. 6. Caffine is very addictive, I have heard it said that it is on the order of addiction much more than nicotine. Now lets talk about diet coke- Most diet cokes have Aspartame in them, with a few that other. For information on this, check out this site: [http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html](http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html) For a non-diet, caffine free carbonated beverage, well other than the empty calories and pure sugar/high sodium I cannot say. However I try to stay away from all of it, and I have recently started getting my fix from tea- lower caffine, unsweetened and green tea is an antioxidant. I would quit all together but I am a caffine junkie and cannot seem to just stop cold turkey. But I have gone from about two 2 liter bottles a day to a glass or two of tea. Soon I will be free from itā€™s tyrrany ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/11 "2003-08-10T14:16:41Z")
In the interests of fighting ignorance, the page linked above about the dangers of Apsertame is pretty much scaremongering without any basis in fact. The entire purpose of the site is to make you buy a book about how to detoxify your body from the stuff, itā€™s pretty hard to take the unsupported claims seriously. > **[FACT CHECK: Is Aspartame Responsible for 'An Epidemic of Multiple Sclerosis...](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/aspartame-sweet-poison/)** > > Reports of the ingestion of aspartame in patients who later have suffered multiple sclerosis or systemic lupus is obviously not scientifically sustainable evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/12 "2003-08-10T14:26:26Z")
Ack! Thanks for pointing that out to me Telemark. Guess itā€™s easier to fall for that type of thing than I give credit. Going to go and feel real stupid for the next decade or so. _hides under a rock_ ---
**Author:** ![ladydisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@ladydisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladydisco)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/13 "2003-08-10T14:37:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Epimetheus \* > \*\* > > 1. Caffine is treated as sugar by the body, glucose actually, and so insulin can be released due to itā€™s intake. > \*\* Do you have a cite for that? Iā€™m sure diabetics are allowed to consume caffinated beverages. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/14 "2003-08-10T14:44:54Z")
Just to point out that while I was suckered into the possible myth of aspartame being a health risk, my statements about caffine are AFAIK and can tell, 100% true and not scaremongering. Some cites to support my claims: [http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafdalet.htm](http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafdalet.htm) [http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1485.html](http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1485.html) [http://www.mercola.com/1999/archive/truth\_caffeine\_pregnancy.htm](http://www.mercola.com/1999/archive/truth_caffeine_pregnancy.htm) Though this site here does say that the evidence is hardly conclusive: [http://www.sweetmarias.com/health.eco.html](http://www.sweetmarias.com/health.eco.html) This site seems to contradict it however, especially about the cancer risks: [http://www.afic.org/MYTHS%20and%20FACTS%20about%20Caffeine.htm](http://www.afic.org/MYTHS%20and%20FACTS%20about%20Caffeine.htm) Does this constitute disparity among experts? I donā€™t know, seems that the WHO says caffine is ok, while the FDA seems to have a more critical eye towards it. Odd. ---
**Author:** ![ladydisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@ladydisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladydisco)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/15 "2003-08-10T14:51:36Z")
But, dude, none of those links contain the word ā€˜glucoseā€™ šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/16 "2003-08-10T14:53:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ladydisco \* > \*\*Do you have a cite for that? Iā€™m sure diabetics are allowed to consume caffinated beverages. \*\* Sure: [http://www.diabetes.ca/Section\_About/caffeine.asp](http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/caffeine.asp) > [@](#): > > Caffeine does not appear to affect blood sugar when consumed in moderate amounts. This is good news since many Canadians start their day with a cup of coffee. This does not mean that people with diabetes can consume excessive amounts of caffeine. **Drinking caffeine in large amounts as coffee over a short period of time has been shown to raise blood sugar.** Caffeine does this by enhancing the effect of two hormones (adrenaline and glucagon). These two hormones release stored sugar from the liver resulting in high blood sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/17 "2003-08-10T14:54:46Z")
Sure, if you have ONE cup of coffee, great, congradulations you can drink coffee as a diabetic. Not many people _I_ know, however, drink only one cup of coffee. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/18 "2003-08-10T14:56:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Epimetheus \* > \*\* > > 1. Caffine is treated as sugar by the body, glucose actually, and so insulin can be released due to itā€™s intake. \*\* I think thatā€™s a vast overstatement. Caffeine has its dangers, and it is certainly a stimulant, but it is certainly NOT treated as sugar. It can not be metabolized as sugar, for one thing. In fact, I couldnā€™t find any statements to that effect in the links which you cited. ---
**Author:** ![ladydisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@ladydisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladydisco)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/19 "2003-08-10T14:56:27Z")
I see. Thanks. The reason I ask is because I try to keep an eye on my blood sugar because I supposedly have PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886/20 "2003-08-10T14:56:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ladydisco \* > \*\*But, dude, none of those links contain the word ā€˜glucoseā€™ šŸ˜• \*\* My, my, the world must revolve around you. I wasnā€™t responding you, so there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colas-a-health-hazard/193886.md?page=2)