I've heard that carbonation sucks calcium out of your bones. I was wondering if this is true, since I love love love seltzer (like...2 liters a day is my norm). If it is, would taking a calcium supplement offset the damage done?

WebMD may be able to clear this up.

Well I normally eat yogurt once a day and I have cereal with milk for breakfast (and sometimes the orange juice that has extra calcium)...so I guess it's not too hurtful.

Would it be bad to add a calcium supplement, even if I'm not sure I need it? My grandmother has osteoporosis and I don't particularly want it (even when I'm 80)

Certain carbonated drinks, and I'm not sure on any specifics here, can prevent your bones from absorbing calcium. If this is accurate, then it doesn't really matter how much calcium you consume because your body won't be able to use it.

I'm not sure how much you'd have to drink for this to happen, but it's something to definitely look into.

Nice to put a face to the posts, Dutch. (I KNEW you were't really a giant dog! ; )

On the subject of bone density in general, some years back my Mom went through some Cancer, more than one kind, one of which was Bone Cancer, and I remember speaking with a doc at the center who sited the following as key negatives in the bone-density deal:

-sodas & carbonated drinks, (not a once-in-a-while thing, but daily)
-caffeine abuse, (a cup or less a day preferred)
-poor calcium levels in the diet
-lack of resistance exercise

Then of course there's age, as after 35-ish, our cells start to wane.

And here's looking into it. A study reported on by Medscape Today points to phosphoric acid as being the culprit.



I still can't find anything that states carbonated beverages 'prevent' calcium absorption, or 'suck' calcium from the bones. Personally, with a well rounded diet and exercise program, I'd be more concerned about lead exposure than soft drinks.

Minu, I hope your mom is doing O.K.

Regards.

My Mom, bless her healthy self, is now doing very well, thanks, Jeff.

Good to hear your mom is doing well Minu! Give her a hug !!

suck the marrow out of life, but no sucking calcium from bones.

According to some sources phos acid does reduce calcium as it binds to calcium in the stomach preventing absorption into the blood, and it is naturally present in carbonated beverages. (dark ones) Here is another point of view from Columbia university's internet q&a health service. http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/5358.html

Doesn't mean i would ever personally add soft drinks to the menu though for plenty of other reasons. (and yes, you can find proponents for either side )

As for caffeine

"Caffeine does decrease bone mass and increase risk of hip fracture. In a study of 9,615 women over age 65, those who drank 190 mg a day of caffeine had a 20% to 30% increased risk of hip fracture. Sodas have about 40 mg of caffeine per can and brewed coffee about 100 mg per cup."

a straight calcium supplement, or food isn't necessarily the answer. Optimally you need a 3:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium for optimal absorption. (keep in mind foods that are high in calcium (oatmeal/ spinach/ etc) really aren't.. if they contain oxalic acid, which prevents calcium absorption.

Increased exercise (so long as your body can take it), foods that are healthy and higher in calcium, increasing bioavailable vit d is a good idea too... (SUNSHINE!!) it helps, (interestingly in studies vit d and calcium also help with cancer. (90% of usable vit d is produced in body according to some authors/ studies.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?orig_db=P ubMed&db=PubMed&cmd=Search&term=Am.%20J.%20Clin.%2 0Nutr.%5BJour%5D%20AND%202007%5Bpdat%5D%20AND%20La ppe%20J%5Bauthor%5D

http://www.mercola.com/2005/feb/2/vitamin_d_produc tion.htm

even omega 3 fatty acids have effects ( the website listed has the journal links to the AJCL article)
http://v.mercola.com/blogs/post.aspx?App=public_bl og&PostID=7183&Subscribed=1

fruit and veges too (journal link on page) (( keep in mind vit k in veges if you are on coumadin!!))
http://www.mercola.com/2006/jun/22/vegetables_much _better_than_drugs_at_building_bone_density.htm

acid base balance changes could also effect bone structure. Deep breathing and meditational exercises could therefore then theoretically increase bone density through an ancillary method (provided you get activity) just by making your body more base compared to acid. (much of Americans normal eating patterns arguably acidify the body. )

http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/ac id_alkali_balance

http://awaytofitness.com/foodcoach_august2005.html

Just a few thoughts, take with a grain of salt... Unless you have hypertension

~Tosh