For many people with diabetes, checking labels and switching from sugar-laden products to lower sugar products such as diet colas has become second nature. But for diabetics who are more likely to develop kidney disease than people without diabetes, diet colas may also be harmful. The problem with diet colas is not in the sugar content but rather in the phosphorus found in any type of cola drink, including diet drinks.
Diabetes and Kidney Disease
Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney disease in America. Kidney disease affects between 10 to 40 percent of Type 2 diabetics, the most common type of diabetes in America, and over 33 percent of Type 1 diabetics who have had the disease for more than 10 years, according to the Albert Einstein Health Network. Even controlled diabetes can lead to chronic kidney disease, although most will not progress to kidney failure, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders states.
Effects of Elevated Phosphorus Levels
Both diet and regular colas contain phosphorus. High blood levels of phosphorus disrupt calcium absorption, which can lead to bone loss. Calcium and phosphorus deposits in the skin can cause itching, bone pain, scaling and reddened eyes. A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health published in the July 2007 issue of "Epidemiology" examined the risks of drinking cola and chronic kidney disease. Researchers reported that drinking two or more colas per day, whether regular or diet, doubled the risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
Why Phosphorus Levels Rise
In many people with diabetes, the kidneys are damaged over time to the point where they can no longer filter out waste products. The inability to properly filter out waste products and toxins happens slowly, usually not developing until a person has had diabetes for 10 years or more, according to the NIDDK. As the kidneys lose their filtering ability, excess phosphorus builds up in the blood rather than being excreted.
Treatment
When kidney failure progresses to the point where phosphorus excretion decreases, drugs that bind to phosphorus to remove it before it's absorbed may be needed. A diet low in phosphorus can help prevent complications from high phosphorus levels. Since colas add no nutritional value to the diet, eliminating them reduces phosphorus levels without affecting nutrition.
References
- Albert Einstein Healthcare Network: Common Kidney Problems; 2010
- "Epidemiology;"Carbonated Beverages and Chronic Kidney Disease; Tina Saladna et al.; July 207
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders: Kidney Disease of Diabetes; September 2008
- The Ohio State University Medical Center: Phosphorous and Kidney Disease; May 2008
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders: Nutrition for Later Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults; January 2006
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Disorders: Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Kidneys Healthy; February 2010
