NIH: Too Much Cola Can Cause Kidney Problems

Researchers from National Institute of Health claim colas are linked to kidney stones and other renal problems. Drinking two or more cola drinks a day causes a twofold risk of chronic kidney disease.

Many studies have been done before connecting colas to diabetes and obesity (because of high sugars present in the drinks) and now the researchers from National Institutes of Health claim that colas pose a high risk to the kidney’s health.

The researchers compared the diet habits of 465 people with chronic kidney disease and 467 health people. They found that drinking two or more colas a day (either regular or diet colas) poses a twofold risk of chronic kidney disease. But if they drank a non-cola carbonated drink, it did not increase the risk.

The work has been published in the journal Epidemiology. The authors however have said more research is needed to confirm this claim. They think the phosphoric acid present in colas pulls the calcium from the bones and this seems to influence kidney stones, renal failure and other conditions affecting the kidneys.

I couldn't read the main article in Epidemiology journal. Here is the abstract from the article:

Carbonated Beverages and Chronic Kidney Disease.

CHRONIC DISEASE

Epidemiology. 18(4):501-506, July 2007.

Saldana, Tina M. *; Basso, Olga *; Darden, Rebecca +; Sandler, Dale P. *

Abstract:

Background: Carbonated beverage consumption has been linked with diabetes, hypertension, and kidney stones, all risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Cola beverages, in particular, contain phosphoric acid and have been associated with urinary changes that promote kidney stones.

Methods: We examined the relationship between carbonated beverages (including cola) and chronic kidney disease, using data from 465 patients with newly diagnosed chronic kidney disease and 467 community controls recruited in North Carolina between 1980 and 1982.

Results: Drinking 2 or more colas per day was associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease (adjusted odds ratio = 2.3; 95% confidence interval = 1.4-3.7). Results were the same for regular colas (2.1; 1.3-3.4) and artificially sweetened colas (2.1; 0.7-2.5). Noncola carbonated beverages were not associated with chronic kidney disease (0.94; 0.4-2.2).

Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest that cola consumption may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease.

(C) 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

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