Carbonated drinks are widely preferred beverage choices due to their cooling and tingling sensation. Some people even make exciting recipes with these soft drinks that tickle one’s taste buds. However, unbeknownst to many carbonated beverages can cause various side effects like diabetes and unhealthy body mass development. Therefore, health experts advise avoiding them entirely or drinking in moderation. Some common health issues triggered by the intake of soft drinks are discussed below.

Large amounts of sugar add to liver fat
Many popular soft drink products contain high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose. These components contain two molecules, fructose, and glucose, in equal proportions. However, the cells in one’s body can metabolize glucose, and the liver can metabolize fructose. Sugary beverages are one of the most common and easiest ways to take in excessive fructose. So, excessive intake of sugary drinks can overload one’s liver, changing the fructose into fat. Some of this fat is shipped out as triglycerides, but a good percentage remains inside the liver, which can lead to fatty liver disease.

Damages teeth
Soft drinks can damage one’s teeth. A person’s mouth has bacteria that feed on the sugar, producing the chemicals that break down the hard enamel of the teeth. When the enamel erodes, it exposes the inner core of the teeth, and a cavity develops. When you drink carbonated sweetened drinks, the sugar remains in the mouth leading to the processes that result in tooth decay. The acid in carbonated drinks amplifies the risk of developing cavities as these chemicals gradually erode the enamel.

Diabetes and metabolic syndrome
Excessive fructose intake results in insulin resistance, a characteristic of metabolic syndrome. Consequently, one’s body becomes less sensitive to the insulin that clears sugar from the blood. The metabolic syndrome typically appears before type 2 diabetes, another prevalent side effect of sugary drink intake. Studies indicate that drinking even one or two cans of carbonated drinks daily can heighten one’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by over twenty percent.

Causes unhealthy body mass
The high sugar content in carbonated beverages like sodas can increase one’s risk of developing an unhealthy BMI and other health issues such as diabetes and heart disease.

Interferes with calcium absorption
Soft drinks contain phosphoric acid that intervenes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium. When the body does not get adequate calcium, it can lead to dental cavities, osteoporosis, and bone softening. In addition, it can also create problems with your stomach acid by slowing digestion and blocking nutrient absorption.

Does not include essential nutrients
One main problem with soda drinks is that they have zero essential nutrition – no fiber, minerals, or vitamins. So, by drinking them, you only take in some extra calories without any nutritional advantages. So drinking carbonated drinks only adds unnecessary sugar and calories to your body.

Damages the kidney
Excessive intake of soft drinks can also hurt your kidneys. In large quantities, soft drinks can cause serious side effects and lead to kidney stones and chronic kidney disease. Stones usually develop in the kidneys because the levels of acid and minerals in the urine are unbalanced.

Increased risk of cancer
Soft drinks like colas are associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Studies show that postmenopausal women are at a greater risk of developing uterine or endometrial cancer if they drink sugary beverages in high quantities.

Can cause leptin resistance
The body’s fat cells produce leptin, the hormone which regulates the calories one burn and eats. The high fructose levels in soft drinks can often trigger resistance to the effects of leptin. When people develop leptin resistance, they are bound to gain unhealthy body mass.

Increases risk of developing gout
It is a form of arthritis wherein a patient experiences pain and inflammation in the joints. It is an outcome of the crystallization of the high uric acid levels in the blood. Fructose increases uric acid production, increasing one’s risk of developing gout.