News Releases

Cola Beverages Do Not Negatively Affect Bone Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                

October 6, 2006                                                                                        
Contacts:   Tracey Halliday
(202) 463-6718
          

COLA BEVERAGES DO NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT BONE HEALTH

 

FRAMINGHAM STUDY CONTAINS METHODOLOGICAL FLAWS AND OMITS STUDIES THAT DO NOT SUPPORT ITS HYPOTHESIS

 

WASHINGTON — The recent study by Tucker et al published in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claiming that cola drinks are linked to osteoporosis contains methodological flaws that make its conclusions questionable. 

 

 “This study by Tucker et al not only omits studies that show contrary findings, but is self-contradictory and based on several false premises,” said Dr. Richard H. Adamson, scientific consultant for the American Beverage Association (ABA).

 

Such premises included in “Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study” by Katherine L. Tucker et al are:

 

1. The authors defined a “serving” of soda as one glass, bottle or can, without accounting for the difference in actual amounts from 8 to 20 ounces. Thus, the entire grouping of subjects based on their intake levels could be completely wrong. Least could be more than most. Three servings a week could be 60 fluid ounces while 7 servings could be 56 fluid ounces.

 

1. The authors state that the “major differences between cola and other carbonated beverages are caffeine, phosphoric acid, and cola extract.” However, the study found no statistically significant relationship between sugared "decaffeinated" colas and bone mineral denisty (BMD).
   
    
2. The authors then postulate that the difference they found might be due to phosphoric acid. However, the authors state that the total phosphorus intake of those who consumed the most cola was lower than those who drank no cola beverages.

 

1. Soft drinks contain less than two percent of the total phosphorus in the American diet. The amount of phosphorus from the phosphoric acid in a 12 ounce can of a cola beverage is between 27-62 milligrams of phosphorus, while the amount of phosphorus consumed per person daily in both processed and unprocessed food is about 2,000 milligrams. 

 

 

1. The authors found “no significant associations” between BMD and cola intake among men, even though they consumed more colas than women. In addition, “no significant associations with spine BMD” were observed for either men or women. The authors also showed that sugared “decaffeinated” cola had no significant effect for lowering BMD at either the hip or the spine.

 

Contradictory Evidence

 

The study omits two studies that do not support their hypothesis. A National Institute of Health consensus development conference and the 1999 Dietary Reference Intakes do not support the theory that phosphorus intake in the current US population adversely affects bone health. Furthermore, the authors do cite Kim and co-authors, but fail to note that the Kim study of 1,000 women did not find a change in BMD with intake of any type of carbonated beverage.

 

The study also found that although “a greater intake of cola was not associated with significant lower intake of milk,” that “regular cola consumers had significantly lower intakes of calcium.” However, a National Institutes of Health consensus study found that “intake of fat, phosphate, magnesium and caffeine did not affect calcium absorption or excretion significantly.”

 

Dr. Adamson also noted that, “The authors, however, do rightfully conclude that ‘no evidence exists that occasional use of carbonated beverages, including cola, is detrimental to bone.’”

 

Dr. Adamson has held positions with the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute, NIH, where he rose to Director, Division of Cancer Etiology and Scientific Director. He also served as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President. Adamson holds an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Drake University and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Iowa.   He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, serves on numerous editorial boards and has won many awards, including a Fulbright Award and the Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank. 

 

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The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.

 

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 This news release is updated from the version posted earlier on this page