Too Many Cans of Cola = Bad News to Your Bones

Some women drink diet cola to help keep the weight off, but a new study suggests that drinking diet, regular and decaffeinated cola can actually lower bone density and put women at increased risk for osteoporosis.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, roughly 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk of developing the brittle-bone disease, which leaves bones dry, weak, and more likely to fracture.

Cola drinks -- such as Pepsi-Cola or Coca-Cola -- seem to increase that risk, according to research published in today's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The scientists compared how much cola and other sodas people drank to bone mineral density measurements taken from the spine and from three different spots on the hips.

"The more cola that women drank, the lower their bone mineral density was," said Katherine Tucker, study author and director of the Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Program at Tufts University, in a press release.

Women who drank more cola had reduced bone mineral density at all three hip sites but not at the spine. The link between cola consumption and women's bone loss was unaffected by age, menopausal status, cigarettes, alcohol, or total calcium and vitamin D intake.
Cola consumption did not affect men in the same way. Also, other carbonated drinks were not associated with bone loss.