How2Day: Bad Effects of Carbonated Drinks

Carbonated drinks often replace drinks and food that provide required nutrition, such as milk. Unhealthy effects of carbonated drinks can come from additives such as sugar, phosphoric acid, citric acid and caffeine. Consuming carbonated drinks should be limited to avoid any regular effects.

Drinking carbonated beverages with sugar can put undue stress on the body's ability to handle sugar. Carbonated drinks often contain high fructose corn syrup, which is rapidly absorbed by the body. The pancreas, in turn, has to secrete large amounts of insulin for the body to process the sugar; the pancreas may not be able to keep up with the body's need for insulin, and this can lead to diabetes.

Carbonated drinks can be high in sugar and contain acids. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, drinking any type of soft drink hurts teeth because of the phosphoric acid and citric acid content. The acids dissolve the mineral content of tooth enamel; this makes teeth weaker, more sensitive and can lead to cavities. In fact, prolonged exposure to soft drinks can lead to significant enamel loss.

Carbonated beverages can act as diuretics, which dehydrate the body. Caffeine is a diuretic added to some carbonated drinks that causes an increase in urine volume. High sugar concentration in these drinks rids the body of water because the kidneys try to eliminate excess sugar from the blood.

Carbonated drinks are one of the most acidic beverages with a PH level of close to 2.5. The sugar content of carbonated drinks disguises the acidity so it is not as noticeable. Throughout the digestive system, only the stomach can resist an acidic environment. The problem is that carbonated beverages must pass through other organs that are highly sensitive to acid, such as the mouth and esophagus, creating an abnormal acidic environment. Phosphoric acid, commonly found in carbonated drinks, affects digestive functions, causing indigestion, bloating and gas.

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