Drinking soda increases the risk of kidney disease when exercising in the heat.
It has long been known that sodas increase the risk of obesity, liver problems and heart problems. We also know that physical activity can be difficult, especially in hot weather. According to a new study, published in theAmerican Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, combining the three, that is to say soda, physical activity and heat can be harmful to the kidneys.
Four hours of activity under 35 degrees
Researchers from the University at Buffalo, New York, analyzed healthy adults. The latter simulated agricultural work on a hot day (35 degrees Celsius). Participants completed a one-hour cycle of treadmill workouts. And that, followed by three different activities: lifting, dexterity and hammering. After 45 minutes of training, the volunteers took a 15-minute break during which they drank either 40cl of soda or 40cl of water. This whole cycle was then repeated three times in order to reach four hours of activity. At the end, each person had to drink again what was assigned to them.
Risk of kidney damage
The researchers measured the participants’ body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, body weight and markers of kidney damage right after the trial and 24 hours later. Each volunteer did one trial drinking soda and one trial drinking water, each at least seven days apart. The team of scientists discovered higher levels of creatinine in soda drinkers. But also a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a marker which makes it possible to quantify the activity of the kidney. This decrease in activity is a marker of kidney damage. These temporary changes were not seen in participants who had just taken the test while drinking water.
Wanting to hydrate with soda is a bad idea
Additionally, the researchers found that vasopressin, an anti-diuretic hormone that raises blood pressure, was mildly dehydrated during and after the soda trial. “Consuming soft drinks during and after exercise in the heat does not allow rehydration”, explain the scientists. The latter therefore advise people who are likely to practice physical activity in hot weather to drink sodas. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the long-term effects of drinking soft drinks under these conditions, on the kidneys and elsewhere.
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