Too Much Soda Pop Increases Risk For Early Kidney Disease In Women
A new study has found that women who drink two or more cans of pop a day increase their risk for early kidney disease.
Researchers looked at data from 9,358 adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which included information such as urine samples and questions about dietary habits.
They found that women who reported drinking two or more sodas within a 24 hour period were 1.86 times more likely to have albuminuria, where too much of the protein albumin can be an indicator of damage to the kidneys. Of the people that drink two or more cans of pop a day, 17 percent have this condition.
This study showed an increased risk in women only, not men. “It's unclear why drinking soda increased the risk only in women,” said lead researcher David Shoham of Loyola University Health System. “There may be an unknown underlying cause that is linked to both soda consumption and kidney damage.”
Study results also showed an increase with people who drank regular pop, not diet soda. “I don't think there is anything demonic about high fructose corn syrup per se,” said Shoham. “People are consuming too much sugar. The problem with high fructose corn syrup is that it contributes to over consumption. It's cheap, it has a long shelf life and it allows you to buy a case of soda for less than $10.”
Researchers conclude that additional studies will need to be done in order to determine what exactly about the soda ingredients causes this condition.
The study was published in PLoS ONE, a journal by the Public Library of Science.