Gout and Soda
I used to drink Diet Coke, and every now and then, like once every six months, I might have a small Coke, a real coke, a classic coke, but for the most part, I haven’t missed drinking soda.
AdventureMan gave up sodas in November, and hasn’t touched one since. Not only are they full of empty calories, they also make you burp. They can give you heartburn. There are studies that show they may be related to the epidemic of obesity we are seeing, and they may tip vulnerable people into diabetes.
In today’s Kuwait Times, there is one more reason to give up sodas. Studies have shown a connection between drinking sodas and gout (Wikipedia:
Signs and symptoms
The classic picture is of excruciating, sudden, unexpected, burning pain, swelling, redness, warmness and stiffness in the joint. Low-grade fever may also be present. The patient usually suffers from two sources of pain. The crystals inside the joint cause intense pain whenever the affected area is moved. The inflammation of the tissues around the joint also causes the skin to be swollen, tender and sore if it is even slightly touched. For example, a blanket or even the lightest sheet draping over the affected area could cause extreme pain.
Gout usually attacks the big toe (approximately 75 percent of first attacks); however, it also can affect other joints such as the ankle, heel, instep, knee, wrist, elbow, fingers, and spine. In some cases, the condition may appear in the joints of small toes that have become immobile due to impact injury earlier in life, causing poor blood circulation that leads to gout.)
I found a link to the full length Reuters article Sugary drinks raise risk of gout in men, which you can read by clicking on the blue text.
12 Comments »
Leave a comment
Recent Comments
Catherine on Donna Leon Crossing Cultu… intlxpatr on Ignoring the Law thani on Ignoring the Law Anon. on British Soldier Kidnapped, Esc… Reeva Mills on Cahors to Bordeaux, Preparing… Wikipedia Donate Button
Amazina
Early Voting in Florida
Here There and Everywhere 
Ouch, who would have known. At this rate, coke and other soft drinks will end up being just as bad as cigarettes (well not as bad.. but close enough..). I have also stopped drinking soft drinks for a while now, and I’m enjoying the different tastes and flavors of juice… sometimes I’d have a fizzy juice but that is about it!
N., I was in a health seminar once where the demonstrator slowly dished out 12 spoonsful of sugar, and then asked us if we would eat that. We all shuddered in horror and said “NO!” and then he told us that was the amount of sugar in every can of Coke.
I really love Coke, but after that day, I limited myself to a very rare occasion. Seeing the amount of sugar so graphically presented was so shocking.
Sorry to tell you, but the problem in the fructose – the fruit sugars. So fruit juices may also be a problem. (Yikes.)
That would be a problem if Juices had a similar amount of sugar. If that is the case then I’d probably just get fresh juice, evidently it is the best solution. I have also heard that canned (and cooked) fruits lose most of their nutrients. I am not sure about how much truth to that there is!
I wonder about some of the juices we drink here in the ME. I love the melon juices, but there are times I have had like a “mixed fruit cocktail” and I think they use some kind of powder thickener, and I wonder if they are using a LOT of sugar because they sure taste good.
Can i add one more thing ?
this is not based on studies or anything, only my personal opinion.. i believe diet sodas increase your weight in an indirect way ,, if its taken without a meal then due to its lack of calories and its activation of the stomach secretions then you will automatically feel hungry and eat.
o nthe other hand if you drink it during meals then it will also help you eat more than you would naturally eat without drinking ,,
just my opnion
Good morning, Abdulaziz – I agree with you, and I remember seeing some studies done recently that back up with statistics what you are saying with your gut and experience. The empty calories in the Diet sodas somehow promote eating too much later. Thanks for your input.
[…] Soda Problems In a recent blog entry Gout and Soda frequent commenter Abdulaziz speculated that there is also a link between diet soda and over […]
[…] Soda Problems In a recent blog entry Gout and Soda frequent commenter Abdulaziz speculated that there is also a link between diet soda and over […]
Pingback by Safat: The KuwaitBlogs’ Aggregator » Blog Archive » Diet Soda Problems | February 7, 2008 |
[…] To find more information from the source here […]
Pingback by Drink Recipes » Gout and Soda Here There and Everywhere | March 22, 2008 |
My husband is an ardent DIET soda drinker. So much so, that if he has a six pack of soda, he ceases drinking water. After a while, he gets full blown gout of the foot, ankle or big toe. I have felt twinges in my big toe occasionally and when I stop drinking diet soda, they go away. I also started drinking 1Tablsp. of Organic apple cider vinegar in water every morning and have found that my arthritic joints (knees and wrists) don’t ache any more. Then, I feel great when I’m moving around. So as long as I drink the vinegar, and stay away from sodas (diet or regular), I have no pain and I also find I lose weight. My conclusion: Soda companies will never disclose how bad sodas are for you. They only care about profits! So, if it’s manmade, get rid of it! Don’t buy into their crap when your good health is at stake.
You know, my husband used to have big toe pains, too, but once he gave up drinking soda, he has never had another attack, and we eat a lot of seafood, which is another aggravator. Evidently soda is a primary factor in his case . . .
Gout arthritis without a doubt is an awful illness, my own grand daddy has been suffering from the illness for some months already. It is awful, watching a beloved family member and friend suffer from a sudden attack so often. Sticking with a proper eating plan made for prophylaxis and making use of proper therapy is something I consider necessary. I suggest everybody who is already noticing the first signs of hyperuricemia to by any means take this serious. You should see a doctor as soon as possible and correct your nutrition to prevent the outbreak of the illness. It is definitely no fun, really! Look for reasonable treatment options and keep clear of food containing too much purine, alcohol based drinks etc as a prophylactic measure.