Put The Can Down

Logan Hall

The advertising world creates an impactful message regarding the consumption of soft drinks. Celebrities and beautiful people are used to sell everyone the image of a peaceful world, a hip way to connect with others, and a refreshing way to relax, all readily available in the soft drink of choice. Billions of dollars are spent annually on these advertising strategies to convince people to make soft drinks a part of their everyday life. The truth of these products could not be further from the images portrayed in the ads. The reality is that people are literally drinking themselves sick. The facts about the dangers of soft drink consumption are clear. Individuals should discontinue drinking soft drinks because of the numerous negative health-related side effects caused by their consumption, the addictive properties of the sugar contained within soft drinks, and the positive impact which stopping consumption can have on one’s life.

Billions of gallons of soft drinks are consumed world-wide and people consuming these drinks, on a daily basis, are largely unaware of the dangers lurking within their can of choice. The article “Toxic Ingredients in Soda that Harm Your Health” gives a glimpse into the ingredient list in most sodas. Those ingredients include the following: benzene, which is known to cause problems with bone marrow, decrease in red blood cells, anemia, reduced immune system, and cancer such as leukemia; sodium benzoate, which is a preservative linked to liver problems and Parkinson’s disease; and sodium citrate, which can cause kidney stones and nerve damage. The worst offender is the sugar substitute aspartame, which is known to cause neurological damage (“Toxic Ingredients in Soda that Harm Your Health”). In a research study, Dr. Matthew P. Pase, et al. found that the artificial sweetener aspartame is linked to increased risk of stroke, Alzheimer’s, and dementia (1144).

Another study done by Georgetown University Medical Center states that individuals drinking two or more soft drinks per week, which would be most people who consume soft drinks, have an 87% increased risk of pancreatic cancer (Mueller et al. 448). In addition, Katherine Tucker, et al., researchers for The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a link between the consumption of soft drinks and low-bone density as well as osteoporosis in women (938). Another disturbing side effect of too much soft drink consumption is tooth decay as well as permanent tooth loss due to the acidic nature of colas. Research done by the University of Zhejiang in China proved this correlation (Cheng et al. 398). Lastly, Dr. Assy, et al. found that soft drinks have been shown to be related to cardiac issues as well as kidney and liver disease (814).

Remarkably, some specific soft drinks have warnings on their labels which state their product contains phenylalanine, a substance which Mayo Clinic registered dietician Katherine Zeratsky states can cause intellectual disabilities; brain damage; and seizures in people who suffer from the following: sleep disorders, anxiety issues, muscle movement disorders, nervous system disorders, and those with mental health issues (Zeratsky). Granted, not everyone who consumes soft drinks will become ill, but the overwhelming possibilities of having even one of these side effects should provide caution to every soft drink consumer. Overall, considering the availability of this concrete medical information, one can conclude logically that if consumer awareness increased, regarding the serious dangers related to soft drink consumption, people would cease drinking these beverages. In addition, once the consumer becomes educated about the health issues related to soft drink consumption, they would most likely pass on this information to others. Most people share the need to make sure those they care about and love are armed with the information necessary to make better health choices.

In addition to the dangerous chemicals included in the final soft drink product, another reason to discontinue drinking soft drinks is the ingredient sugar, which can cause its own specific damage to individuals consuming these drinks. Soft drinks contain unhealthy amounts of sugar. According to Harvard University’s School of Public Health, research shows soft drinks are one of the main causes of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (“Public Health Concerns: Sugary Drinks”). The side effects related to a high level of sugar intake are to be taken seriously. Nicole M. Avena, et al. show that sugar releases opioids as well as dopamine and creates an unrealized addictive dependence on the substance. The brain begins to see sugar as a reward and increases the body’s cravings for it (20). The same study also showed that withdrawal from sugar can cause cravings and neurochemical changes in the brain that mimic drug addiction withdrawal (Avena et al. 27). Imagine millions of people drinking soft drinks each day unaware that their choice leads to a cycle of sugar highs and lows. According to Dr. Aubele from Psychology Today, the impact on their body includes cycling between feeling lethargic and shaky, experiencing headaches, and lack of proper sleep (Dr. Aubele). The cycle repeats itself as one continues to reach for another soda to regain the sugar high they crave. The manufacturers of these soft drinks are aware of the addictive nature of their products; however, the overall general public remains largely unaware of the damage sugar can do to their body.

It is difficult for an individual to comprehend the damaging results of soft drink consumption when it happens invisibly in the form of sugar addiction. Some people might conclude that one could just simply choose to drink the diet versions of these soft drinks to avoid the sugar. However, this change to the diet version would not result in a healthier choice because, as mentioned above, the diet form is just as harmful due to the neurological dangers of the sugar substitute aspartame. In addition, the dangerous chemicals, which are ingredients in soft drinks, are present in both the regular or diet form.

Lastly, a compelling reason to stop drinking soft drinks is the healthy improvements and changes that occur within the body once soft drink consumption is discontinued. There is no nutritional value to soft drinks, and they take the place of other liquids one could consume, specifically water, which would be more advantageous for the body. When a person does not ingest enough water in their diet, they are in a state of dehydration whether they realize this or not. According to the Mayo Clinic, when a body doesn’t get the proper amount of water daily a person can experience dry mouth, muscle cramps, fatigue, constipation, eczema, increased bad cholesterol, digestive issues, urinary infections, decreased reaction time, and even irregular heartbeat (Mayo Clinic). Imagine a person unknowingly putting their body at risk simply because they choose a soft drink over water. If one stopped drinking soft drinks and replaced those drinks with water, their body would thank them. According to RN Jami Cooley, when a person stops drinking soft drinks, the organs such as the liver, kidneys, pancreas, heart, brain, and the bones benefit. In addition, the skin has the potential to become brighter and clearer as well as fewer headaches and cravings for sugar. Most find that weight loss accompanies the choice to eliminate soft drinks from their daily routine (Cooley).

Who would not want a healthier existence? Imagine a life with fewer headaches, better sleep, increased overall health, and fewer potential health risks from the sugar and harmful ingredient exposure. Now imagine that can happen based on one single decision one could make for oneself. The reasons for eliminating soft drinks from a part of anyone’s daily routine are numerous. They range from staying away from the overwhelming negative health-related side effects, not having to deal with the addictive properties of the sugar contained within and the positive impact removing soft drinks from their diet can have on the body and the mind. Why would society as-a-whole be concerned about the individual health of one soft drink consumer? The volume of individuals who drink soft drinks, collectively, can add up to a large part of the population. These individuals are needlessly playing roulette with their personal health. They are unnecessarily dealing with the medical fallout of their own personal choices as they deal with severe or minor health problems. Society collectively benefits when its individuals make better health care choices because it removes some burden from the already over taxed healthcare system. Healthcare dollars could then be redistributed to those dealing with less preventable health care issues. We should all want to make choices in life which not only benefit ourselves as individuals but society at large. The decision to eliminate soft drinks from one’s diet should be an easy one. Here is hoping everyone makes the healthiest decision and simply puts the can down.

Works Cited

Aubele, Teresa. “Why a Sugar High Leads to a Brain Low.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 18 Oct. 2011, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/prime-your-gray-cells/201110/why-sugar-high-leads-brain-low. Accessed 21 Mar. 2019.

Assy, Nimer, et al. “Soft Drink Consumption Linked with Fatty Liver in the Absence of Traditional Risk Factors.” Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, vol. 22, no. 10, 2008, pp. 811-816. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2661299/pdf/cjg22811.pdf. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Avena, Nicole M., et al. “Evidence for Sugar Addiction: Behavioral and Neurochemical Effects of Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake.” National Institute of Health, vol. 32, no. 1, 2008, pp. 1-35. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.04.019. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Cheng, Ran, et al. “Dental Erosion and Severe Tooth Decay Related to Soft Drinks: A Case Report and Literature Review.” Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, vol. 10, no. 5, 24 Mar. 2009, pp. 395-399. doi: 10.1631/jzus.B0820245. Accessed 6 Mar. 2019.

Cooley, Jami. “What Does Soda Do to Your Body? 7 Reasons to Kick the Habit.” University Health News, University Health News, 11 July 2018, https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/nutrition/what-does-soda-do-to-your-body/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2019.

“Dehydration.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Education and Research, 2019, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/symptoms-causes/syc-20354086. Accessed 21 Mar. 2019.

Mueller, Noel T. et al. “Soft Drink and Juice Consumption and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: The Singapore Chinese Health Study.” American Association for Cancer Research, vol. 19, no. 2, Feb. 2010, pp. 447-455. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-09-0862. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Pase, Matthew P., et al. “Sugar- and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and the Risks of Incident Stroke and Dementia A Prospective Cohort Study.” Stroke, vol. 48, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1139-1146. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.016027. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

“Public Health Concerns: Sugary Drinks.” Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2019, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/beverages-public-health-concerns/. Accessed 6 Mar. 2019.

“Toxic Ingredients in Soda that Harm Your Health.” Top 10 Home Remedies, Top 10 Home Remedies, 3 June 2016, https://www.top10homeremedies.com/news-facts/toxic-ingredients-soda-harm-health.html. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Tucker, Katherine L., et al. “Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 84, no. 4, 1 Oct. 2006, pp. 936-942. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/84.4.936. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Zaratsky, Katherine. “My favorite diet soda has a warning about phenylalanine. Is phenylalanine bad for your health?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 1 Dec. 2018, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/phenylalanine/faq-20058361. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.