Risks of Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are a popular beverage choice for Americans today. The National Soft Drink Association reports that the average consumption of soft drinks is over 600 12-ounce servings per person each year. The first warnings about the risks of soft drinks were brought to light in 1942 by the American Medical Association's Council on Food and Nutrition. Since then, more risks have continued to be suggested and proven.

Obesity

• Because soft drinks are high in calories and sugar and low in nutrients, there is a higher risk of obesity in people who consume them. In a British medical journal, a team of Harvard researchers presented their findings that twelve-year-old children who drank soft drinks on a regular basis were more likely to be overweight than those who did not. According to the article "The Facts, Stats and Dangers of Soda Pop," researchers have also found that school-aged children who do consume soft drinks consume approximately two hundred more calories per day. Added calories tend to lead to one being overweight, which this study clearly demonstrates.

Risky Ingredients

• The ingredients contained in soft drinks are risky themselves.Caffeine is a stimulating drug that can cause withdrawal symptoms when use is discontinued. The symptoms include headaches, a rise in blood pressure, stomach problems and irritability. The caffeine in soda stimulates the adrenal glands, two stress glands located on top of the kidneys, without providing nourishment. It's believed by many that too much caffeine can lead to adrenal fatigue, resulting in altered hormone levels.

Gastrointestinal Distress

• Another common issue when consuming soft drinks is that of gastrointestinal distress. GI distress is caused by an increase in stomach acid levels, and can lead to stomach lining erosion. A common symptom of GI distress is a stomach ache that seems to be consistent. However, once caffeine and soft drinks are abstained from for an amount of time, the symptoms of GI distress tend to go away.

  Acid reflux is another symptom seen often in those who consume carbonated soft drinks. Acid reflux is more likely to appear at night, and has even more risks, since it has been found to be associated with alterations of the esophagus, narrowing of the esophagus, and esophageal cancer.

Osteoporosis and Bone Weakening

• Phosphoric acid, another ingredient contained in soda, has been linked to calcium loss. A large amount of information has been published that links the consumption of soft drinks to an increase in bone weakening and osteoporosis. A study reported about in the Journal of Adolescent Health in 1994 pointed at a strong link between soda consumption and bone fractures or higher risks of osteoporosis later in life.

Tooth Decay

• With the consumption of soft drinks rising, dentists have noticed a loss of enamel on the teeth as a result of the phosphoric acid in soft drinks. This loss of enamel results in yellow teeth. The phosphoric acid in soft drinks lowers the normal pH in our saliva, which makes our bones take calcium ions from our teeth, taking away tooth enamel.

Diet Soda and Artificial Sweeteners

• Many consumers do not know that diet soda contains more caffeine that regular soda, in addition to artificial sweeteners that have their own set of risks. In a study done by Dr. Walton and discussed in the article "Don't Drink the Diet Coke," some diet soda consumers were found to suffer from certain mood disorders, thought to be as a result of the artificial sweeteners contained in these soft drinks.

  Aspartame, the artificial sweetener in most diet sodas, has been accused of causing fibromyalgia symptoms, depression, dizziness, headaches, cramps, vertigo, joint pain, anxiety attacks, memory loss and blurred vision. Phenylaline is an amino acid that is found in aspartame, and according to the article "Don't Drink the Diet Coke," one in 15,000 people does not properly metabolize this amino acid. According to the Food and Drug Administration, high levels of phenylaline in body fluids can cause brain damage.