Remembering the admonition from their nephrologist to stay away from Coca-Cola, many kidney patients mistakenly believe that this soda is bad for their kidneys. Even if you have impaired kidneys, drinking Coca-Cola won't affect your renal function. However, if you have advanced kidney disease, you may want to steer clear from this beverage because the phosphorus in the soda can have serious consequences for your bones.
Healthy Kidneys
Healthy kidney clean over 200 gallons of blood per day. They remove wastes from muscles, such as creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. In addition to cleaning the blood, the kidneys secrete hormones that regulate blood pressure, aid in the maturation of red blood cells and regulate the amount of potassium and phosphorus in the blood.
Phosphorus
Roughly 1 percent of your body is made of phosphorus. Although most of this phosphorus is found in bones and teeth, it is also found in every cell. The chemical bonds that hold the phosphorus atom to the ATP molecules are high energy bonds. When broken, they release energy to power enzymatic reactions. With 37mg of phosphorus in a 12-oz. can, Coca-Cola has more phosphorus than very scarred kidneys can remove from the blood.
Bone Problems
If your phosphorus levels start to edge above 5.5 mEq/L, your nephrologist might suggest a low phosphorus diet to prevent bone problems and other issues. If serum phosphorus levels get too high, the phosphorus starts to pull calcium out of the bones. In addition to permanently weakening the bones by causing premature osteoporosis, the calcium starts to form deposits elsewhere in the body. Drinking too much Coca-Cola can cause bone problems if your kidneys are so impaired that they cannot remove the phosphorus from your blood. This is not an issue for healthy people.
Suggestion
If you have kidney disease and are regularly seen by a nephrologist, checking phosphorus levels is part of your regular blood work. While your nephrologist will advise you if dietary changes are needed, it is always useful to get a copy of your labs and familiarize yourself with the results.
References
- National Kidney Foundation: Phosphorus and your CKD Diet
- DaVita: Phosphorus and Chronic Kidney Disease
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder
- USDA: Carbonated Beverage, Cola, Contains CaffeineSprite, Lemon-Lime, without Caffeine
