While soda impacts many organs, the liver is often considered the most directly and heavily affected because it's the primary organ that metabolizes the excessive fructose, converting it to fat and leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, soda also severely harms the heart (increasing heart disease risk), pancreas (insulin resistance, diabetes), kidneys (stones, damage), teeth, and bones due to sugar, acid, and caffeine.
We all know fizzy drinks aren't health tonics, but they affect the body in more ways than you may realise.
Even just one sugary drink a day, after five to seven years, can lead to fatty liver disease, making you susceptible to heart disease and diabetes while also increasing your risk for cancer of the colon, pancreas and esophagus, to name a few.
“Should it be avoided?” In a word, yes. Sugary beverages like soda are linked to a long list of adverse health effects, starting with obesity, poor blood sugar control and diabetes. Recent studies have found an association with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.
During regular soft drinks consumption, fat accumulates in the liver by the primary effect of fructose which increases lipogenesis, and in the case of diet soft drinks, by the additional contribution of aspartame sweetener and caramel colorant which are rich in advanced glycation end products that potentially increase ...
“When comparing soda to alcohol, soda will have way less harmful negative side effects,” says Moskovitz. But while “an occasional soft drink will trump a cocktail anytime,” she adds, neither choice is “nutritious.”
Too Much Alcohol
Alcoholic fatty liver, which causes liver inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis), eventual scarring (cirrhosis) and even liver cancer, is a process that begins on as little as four drinks a day for men and two for women. By the time you show symptoms, your liver may be damaged beyond repair.
There's no single "number one" unhealthiest soda, as different ones rank poorly for different reasons (sugar, acidity, dyes), but Mountain Dew, Fanta Grape, and orange sodas often top lists due to high sugar, potent citric acid for enamel erosion, and potentially carcinogenic artificial dyes (like Red 40), making them particularly damaging for teeth and overall health, notes this article from Eat This, Not That! and this article from Fowler Orthodontics. Dark sodas (like Coke/Pepsi) are also very unhealthy due to sugar, caffeine, and caramel coloring, while clear sodas (Sprite/7Up) are generally less harmful but still packed with sugar, says this article from MEL Magazine.
Drinking soda every day could negatively impact your health. Side effects from drinking to much soda include indigestion, jitters, mood swings and a need for sugary foods. Consider sipping on a kombucha, seltzer water or a sparkling tea instead of soda.
The most common harmful effects of soft drinks are weight gain, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and cardiovascular issues. The most common harmful effects of soft drinks are weight gain, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and cardiovascular issues.
Too much refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup causes a fatty buildup that can lead to liver disease. Some studies show that sugar can be as damaging to the liver as alcohol, even if you're not overweight. It's one more reason to limit foods with added sugars, such as soda, pastries, and candy.
Since phosphorous intake is increased when drinking most carbonated beverages, this depletes your body of both calcium and magnesium. It's not just sugary soft drinks that produce this negative effect. Phosphoric acid is also found in diet sodas. One 12 ounce cola contains approximately 40 mg of phosphoric acid!
Even one or two colas a day could increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 20%. Sugar intake is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and excess fat, all of which increase the risk of heart disease. Colas and other sugary drinks have been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
Carbonated beverage consumption has been linked with diabetes, hypertension, and kidney stones, all risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Cola beverages, in particular, contain phosphoric acid and have been associated with urinary changes that promote kidney stones.
Severe complications of a caffeine overdose are rare, but can include:
Soft drinks can affect your digestion whether sugar sweetened or not. Drinking soda affects digestion, including the bacteria that live throughout the digestive system (the gut microbiome). Ingredients in soft drinks affect the gut, including causing symptoms and disrupting the microbiome.
Physical Symptoms of Excessive Soda Consumption
The effects of drinking too much soda include health repercussions such as jitteriness, weight gain, and heart issues, highlighting the importance of understanding these health effects to make informed dietary choices.
Rodriguez-Lopez reveals the benefits of not drinking soda.
It has also been postulated that elevated glucose levels secondary to excessive cola consumption lead to osmotic diuresis, leading to loss of potassium in urine. Hyperinsulinemia subsequent to hyperglycemia also causes intracellular migration of potassium.
7 Worst Drinks for Gut Health
1. Olipop. Olipop is a sparkling drink that delivers the sweet fizz of soda but is typically lower in calories and added sugar than traditional soda. It's a strong pick for anyone looking for the healthiest soda option that still feels like a treat.
Soda is highly addictive due to its combination of sugar and caffeine, both of which stimulate the brain's reward system. Sugar triggers a surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, in the nucleus accumbens, reinforcing the desire to consume more.
Anything that damages the liver also can cause liver problems, including viruses, alcohol use and obesity. Over time, conditions that damage the liver can lead to scarring, called cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure, a life-threatening condition. But early treatment may give the liver time to heal.
Four key warning signs of a damaged liver include jaundice (yellow skin/eyes), abdominal issues (swelling, pain), fatigue/weakness, and changes in urine/stool color, alongside symptoms like itchy skin, easy bruising, confusion, or nausea, indicating the liver isn't filtering toxins or clotting blood properly.
Pruritus is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients with cholestatic liver disease. Pruritus associated with cholestasis is characteristically localized to the palms and soles, although generalized itching can also occur.