Drinking carbonated sodas, particularly colas, causes bone loss, according to a new study from Tufts University.

The Tufts researchers gave three reasons for this effect:

1. Phosphoric acid, an ingredient in sodas, may cause the body to give up calcium in order to neutralize the acid.
2. People who drink sodas may not drink calcium-rich drinks such as orange juice and milk.
3. Caffeine in sodas affects bone density.

The researchers studied 2,500 people and found that those who drank five or more carbonated drinks a week, particularly colas, suffered from lowered bone density that could lead to osteoporosis. It did not matter if the drinks were diet or regular.

"If you really like soft drinks, you don't need to take them out of your diet completely," said Dr. Primal Kaur. "Just limit yourself to one or two glasses a week."

This study appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Labels: soda, caffeine, bone_density

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A small study of anorexic girls found that the eating disorder might cause abnormalities in bone structure and density.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School used computer tomography (CT) scans, instead of x-rays, for the new study. They compared the bone scans of ten anorexic girls ages 10 to 18 years old with those of ten age-matched girls who didn't have the disorder. The anorexic group showed changes not only in bone density, but also in structure.

"Adolescence is the most critical period for growth of bone mass, and the onset of anorexia interferes with that process," said Miriam A. Bredella, M.D., musculoskeletal radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. "Impairment of bone development may permanently alter bone structure and increase the risk of fractures and osteoporosis in adult life."

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by fears about gaining weight and consequently over-dieting to the point of starvation. Anorexics think of themselves as fat even when they are dangerously thin. The disorder affects about one percent of all young women and teenage girls.

Labels: anorexia, bone_density, bone_loss

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