Shun soda drinks this year, this is why

All kinds of things have been written and said about the available drinks in our community. There has been plenty of debate about the usefulness of alcohol or the lack of it. There has also been intense debate about which kind of alcohol should be taken. That is a digression at any rate because our focus in this article is on the dangers of continuing to consume the range of drinks broadly defined as sodas. These are inclusive of soft drinks, malt drinks and high energy drinks. The pattern of consumption varies a lot among different people and even by the same individual. It is available in abundance in all parties and occasions and is the usual accompaniment of the routine plate of food or pastry taken in the fast-food restaurants. For some, it is a habit to take such drinks after a meal of eba or of rice and dodo. It can be that bad. And it is dangerous.

These drinks are immensely rich in sugar. They are also carbonated thus giving them the fizzy sensation that is so seductive to so many. The bigger the bottle, the bigger the resulting meal of raw sugar and it is the body which pays the price over a period of time. The blood sugar level shows a remarkable rise within 20 minutes of taking it. When this load of sugar is presented several times a day to the body, the pancreas, the organ which secretes the hormone, insulin that helps to regulate the level of glucose in the blood is exhausted over time so that there is a reduction in the level or production. Sometimes, what is produced is defective in quality and is thus of no use is controlling the blood sugar. At other times, there is no production at all. In all three situations, diabetes results with the progressive damage to the body that that ailment causes. Thus, it is important that in this New Year, all those who make the consumption of these drinks a habit may wish to reconsider their choices.

The second problem that can result from the consumption of these drinks is the risk of damage to the teeth. The combination of high amounts of sugar, other sweeteners and colouring agents present in these drinks does a lot of havoc to the teeth. They encourage the proliferation of bacteria and the formation of dental plaques. These twin problems are harmful to the teeth over several years of intake and would encourage the inflammation of the gums as well. All of these cause dental caries, promote premature wear of the enamel and encourage the development of some periodontal problems. In a populace largely unaware of good dental hygiene, this is sure to become an epidemic in a few years down the road. The problem is the same thing encountered with taking sweets and the like. For those who care about their teeth, do not allow these problems develop. If they have developed, then seek professional help from a dental surgeon who will examine your dentition and give you the best advice. It is not a problem for “agbo” or “touch and go” and similar such medications.

These soda drinks are now increasingly being implicated in causing fertility problems. For the men, they may have a role to play in causing low sperm count that is an increasing problem is fertility issues. The increase in soda consumption is directly related to rising body weight. With the increase in weight is a corresponding increase in the body mass index, a measure of body fat based on weight and height. In men, this particular sequence of events is accompanied by insulin resistance and a 35 percent reduction in the sperm count as a result. In a large study conducted in Norway, even the quality of the sperms was similarly diminished. It is clear then that those people who have been saying that sugar is a poison have a very strong basis for that assertion. In women, the picture is much the same. Insulin resistance associated with obesity is now a leading cause of polycystic ovary syndrome which is a common cause of ovulatory infertility. When a couple is similarly afflicted as above, they have a major problem with conception.

It is no comfort that low sugar variants of these drinks are now available. What is absent in terms of glucose or sugar is available in those variants as aspartame. This particular food additive, a non-glucose food supplement, has been implicated in a variety of diseases. Nothing conclusive has been determined about aspartame with regards to disease causation but the suspicion that it is responsible for some diseases is enough cause for caution. It is right now being intensely studied. It has been the subject of medical and even political controversies in the last four decades. It is not the product itself that is the subject of these worries; it is the breakdown products that are thought to cause diseases.

Finally, the routine consumption of these sugar drinks depresses normal body metabolism by readily making available to it, the glucose it needs in the simplest form. This rids the body of the need to break down the complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins that it uses as fuel. Instead, this excess energy is turned into fat for use when the body needs it. This situation is often unlikely to happen as long as the soft drinks continue to supply it glucose. It becomes a vicious cycle really from that point onwards and the consequences range from mild to severe as we have seen above. For those who are freaks for minerals, it would be wiser to drink flavoured water which can be made at home by squeezing some fruit juice into the water intended for drinking. The only thing that is missing usually is the fizzy sensation but the taste is just as refreshing.