Cola Beverage Damages Women's Bones

A recent study conducted by a team of experts at the Tufts University showed that, despite its sweet taste, Cola is rather harmful for women's bones, as it raises risks of osteoporosis. Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers concluded that cola is not at all beneficial for women's health, as it boosts their chances of developing low bone mineral density.

Lead researcher Katherine Tucker, Director of the Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Program at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at the above mentioned university pointed out: "Among women, cola beverages were associated with lower bone mineral density. Women who drink cola daily had lower bone mineral density than those who drink it only once a week. 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."

Cola is one of the most popular beverages around the world, while osteoporosis affects about 55% of the US population, mostly women. The study investigated medical data of 2,500 participants no older than 60. The team analyzed bone density in 3 areas of the participants' hips and they also measured subjects' bone density in the spine.

Findings showed that women who drank cola on a regular basis, 4 cola beverages per week on average, presented lower bone mineral density than their peers who stayed away from fizzy drinks. Moreover, women who reported drinking cola daily were found to have a 4% lower bone density as compared to their counterparts who did not like the beverage at all.

Interestingly, cola seemed not to have the same harmful effect on men's bones, as the carbonated drink was found not to affect their bones' mineral density. However, the team tried to track down which compound in cola beverage causes bone density in women to decrease and lead to osteoporosis. They found that regular cola had the same effects as diet cola, but decaffeinated cola was less harmful for women's bones. In conclusion, the caffeine in cola may be the key-trigger which puts women at high risk from osteoporosis.

Dr. Mone Zaidi, Director of the Mount Sinai Bone Program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City commented on the results of the Tufts University study: "I would expect this finding. It's probably a caffeine-related problem. Women should limit their caffeine intake. Caffeine interferes with calcium absorption, which results in less bone formation. He also added: "This can be a problem for younger women who never develop peak bone density. 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."