why you should go easy on the soda pop
While you probably shouldn't over-indulge in sugary beverages anyway, going overboard on soda might be especially bad for you...
Do you drink more than two liters of soft drinks a day? While that might sound like a lot, it's actually a big gulp sized drink and a few cans here and there for a total of 67.6 fluid oz. And if you keep drinking that much cola or more long enough, you may increase your risk of hypokalemia, a muscle condition in which potassium levels in the bloodstream are diluted so much, vital muscle functions are affected.
The research, done by a trio of Greek medical experts, shows that consuming between 2 and 9 liters of soda on a regular basis interferes with the way our body retains potassium. Seems that a combination of glucose, fructose and caffeine contained in soft drinks may be to blame, although how is yet to be determined.
Caffeine seems to be the worst offender according to previous studies on caffeine intoxication, but the effects and their severity may vary from person to person. So take note of how much soda you drink. You can always have too much of a good thing…
See: Tsimihodimos, V., et. al. (2009). Cola-induced hypokalaemia International Journal of Clinical Practice, 63 (6), 900–902 DOI: 10.1111/j.1742–1241.2009.02051.x
