Cola Raises Women's Osteoporosis Risk - Forbes.com: "Cola Raises Women's Osteoporosis Risk
10.06.06, 12:00 AM ET
FRIDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Cola may not be so sweet for women's bones, according to new research that suggests the beverage boosts osteoporosis risk.
'Among women, cola beverages were associated with lower bone mineral density,' said lead researcher Katherine Tucker, director of the Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Program at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
There was a pretty clear dose-response, Tucker added. 'Women who drink cola daily had lower bone mineral density than those who drink it only once a week,' she said. '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.'
The report was published in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
About 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk for developing osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
In the study, Tucker's team collected data on more than 2,500 participants in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study, averaging just below 60 years of age. The researchers looked at bone mineral density at three different hip sites, as well as the spine.
They found that in women, drinking cola was associated with lower bone mineral density at all three hip sites, regardless of age, menopause, total calcium and vitamin D intake, or smoking or drinking alcohol. Women reported drinking an average of five carbonated drinks a week, four of which were cola."