Approximately 20 million adults in the United States have chronic kidney disease, the National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports. Chronic kidney disease is a serious medical problem that increases your risk of experiencing a number of health issues, including heart disease. Drinking cola may contribute to kidney disease risk.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease occurs when your body's kidneys -- a pair of organs responsible for filtering your blood and regulating fluid levels -- don't work as well as they should. If untreated, kidney disease can progress to the more serious end-stage renal disease in which kidney function is significantly impaired. Many people with end-stage renal disease require dialysis -- a therapy that uses a machine to filter your blood. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
Risk Factor
Scientists from Loyola University investigated the influence of regular soft drink consumption -- which included cola -- on kidney disease risk in 9,000 adults. In research published in the October 2008 issue of the journal "Public Library of Science One" the researchers found that individuals that consumed two or more servings of soda per day had an increased risk of developing an important marker of kidney disease over the five-year follow-up period. The authors note that the high fructose corn syrup found within sugary soda may damage kidneys.
Kidney Disease Diet
Those with kidney disease need to limit the consumption of certain nutrients, including potassium and phosphorus. Phosphorus is one nutrient that damaged kidneys can't filter out of your body very well. According to MayoClinic.com physician Erik P. Castle, M.D., adults with kidney disease should limit their intake to approximately 800 mg of daily phosphorus. A single 16-oz. serving of cola contains 49 mg of phosphorus, the USDA Nutrient Database reports.
Considerations
Check with your doctor to determine whether drinking cola is acceptable as part of your kidney disease diet. If you're a soda lover, consider switching to ginger ale or other pale sodas that are lower in phosphorus than dark-colored colas. Other foods rich in phosphorus include beef, candy, beans and whole grains.
References
- National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Kidney and Urologic Diseases Statistics for the United States
- "PLOS One"; Sugary Soda Consumption and Albuminuria: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004; DA Shoham et al.; October 2008
- MayoClinic.com: Why is a Low-phosphorus Diet Useful in Managing Kidney Disease? What foods contain phosphorus?
- USDA Nutrient Database: Carbonated Beverage, Cola, Contains Caffeine
