by Royce Bailey M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.C.

“Countries with per capita annual consumption of more than 20 gallons of fizzy soft drinks, also had rising rates of esophageal cancer.” Kaplan, L., New Scientist, May 18, 2004.

The Soda-Pop Problem

But I don’t drink that much, you say! Drinking the equivalent of a two liter soda per week works out to be approximately 26 gallons/year. Drinking a 20 ounce soda/day is approximately 57 gallons per year. I just had a good friend and colleague die of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and I wanted to know why? This may not be the cause of his cancer, but it makes a lot of sense to avoid sodas.

Soft Drink Overload

Since most cancers are linked to what we eat and drink, researchers began looking for major dietary changes over the last 50 years to find the cause for the rise in swallowing tube (esophageal) cancer. During that time, the volume of carbonated soft drinks drunk in the US has increased 450 percent. In 1946, the average soft drink consumption per person was 10.8 gallons. In 2000, that increased to 46.2 gallons per person. In the last 25 years, rates of swallowing tube adenocarcinoma has risen by 570 percent in white males (the group with the highest soda-pop consumption). The average American drinks more soda than water.

Soda Puts On The Pounds

In the Southern portion of the US, the average soda-pop consumption is 663 cans/year. If that is non-diet soda, there is about 1 teaspoon per ounce of sugar per can; equaling about 62 pounds of sugar/year. Sugar filled drinks are one reason for frequent infections and colds. Sugar impairs the white cell’s ability to fight infections. Not only is soda a health risk for cancer, but, the sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, causes an increased danger of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, premature aging, inflammatory conditions and gout attacks. If you’re drinking diet soda, studies showed that you ate more and gained more over time than the regular soda drinkers, because artificial sweeteners increased both hunger and appetite. Heavy consumption of carbonated beverages leads to obesity, that leads to gastric reflux disease, that leads to esophageal cancer. Obesity is associated with a statistically significant increase in the risk of GERD (Gastro- Esophageal Reflux Disease), erosive esophagitis and esophageal adenocarcinoma. The risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma is 2.1 times higher in persons with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.* 12 ounces of soda contains 150 calories and can cause 30 pounds of weight gain per year. Not everyone is gaining that much weight, so they are cutting back on a well balanced diet and are actually malnourished.

Too Acidic

There is also a connection between soft drink consumption and bone loss, via the acidic soda leaching out the bone’s alkaline bone reserves; causing their premature thinning and ultimate fracture at an earlier age.

What About The Caffeine?

Most soft drink addicts are hooked on the caffeine in the soda and will drink it continuously all day long. The most popular addict-promoting sodas are Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Coke and Dr. Pepper. I never see someone drinking root beer all day long, unless it is caffeinated. Watch the labels because now some root beers are caffeinated. Caffeine, in the form of tea, coffee, colas and even chocolate, is known to dilate the esophageal-gastric ring. This muscle ring holds the acidic stomach contents in the stomach after you swallow. Your stomach has a protective lining against the digestive acid, but your esophagus does not. The caffeine dilatation then allows acidic contents back in the swallowing tube; causing a re-occurring burn-like injury each time you use this stimulant. Caffeine can cause headaches, indigestion, nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness and a rapid heart rate.

Mountain Dew Danger

Brominated oils are added to soft drinks. The bromide in “Mountain Dew” type products, including Orange Crush, Sun Drop and Fresca, competes with iodide for uptake and utilization by the thyroid gland, thus causing a thyroid deficiency (hypothyroidism). Many of my patients know that they are tired, have dry skin, are losing their hair, and are having trouble with their memory, but only think it is old age. In reality, they are low in active thyroid (T₃). Bromide and bromine are plentiful in our environment, without drinking more in a soda. Brominated pesticides are sprayed on fruits and vegetables. Bromine containing drugs are used widely in asthma medications. Over the past 20 years, bromination of bakery products was implemented by food processors. Over the past 20 years, an increase prevalence of cancer of the thyroid and breast cancer has been observed in American women. Bromide toxicity, thyroid and breast cancer potential, are correlated to the tissue bromide levels. So don’t drink Mountain Dew type products to add to your problems.

There Are Chemicals In My Drink?

Worldwide, people drink 20,600,00 tons of chemicals (color, flavor, preservatives) from soda-pop each year. That’s nine pounds for every person in the world.

Esophageal pH 7 vs 4

Your esophagus pH should be close to your body pH-7.4. Studies have shown that drinking just one can of soda lowers the pH of your esophagus to less than 4.0, for 53 minutes. This itself should not cause you any harm, but two cans a day for over 20 years might, add the extra reflux caused by the caffeine and “we have a problem Houston.” 57 gallons of soft drinks a year (an oversize 20 ounce bottle/day) would subject your esophagus to an additional 32,100 minutes of acid exposure/year.

Park Ridge Hospital tap water-pH 8.0

Decaf. Starbucks Coffee-pH 4.0

Dark brown cola type drinks (Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, etc)-pH 2.4-2.8 These all have phosphoric acid in them.

Mountain Dew, Root Beer, Sierra Mist, Seven Up, Sunkist or like soda-pH 4.0

Are We Sure About This?

There is a steep rise in swallowing tube cancers in Westernized countries (US, Australia New Zealand, Western Europe and the United Kingdom), but the risk of esophageal cancer is unchanged in countries where fizzy drinks have not caught on, like Japan, India, Eastern Europe and China. “The surprisingly strong correlation demonstrates the impact of diet patterns on health trends,” says Dr. Mohandas Mallath, head of the digestive diseases department at Tata Memorial Hospital, India. The effects took about 20 years to show themselves. This association cannot be taken as a casual link at this stage. More research is needed. There are a whole variety of things that occur in modern society that may cause this cancer besides soda. Having refrigerators in your home has been associated with cancer, but refrigerators don’t cause cancer. Heavy consumption of carbonated beverages may be a marker for lifestyle or dietary choices that increase the risk of esophageal cancer!

How Is A Soda Dangerous?

Previous studies have shown that gastric reflux causes the esophagus to become acidic for long periods of time; but, your esophagus should be alkaline. Gastric reflux is the most important factor for development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. If you drink 12 ounces of water, your stomach will distend 12 ounces. If you drink a fizzy carbonated drink, your stomach will distend to twice as much; maybe 24 ounces for an original 12 ounce soft drink. This distention causes reflux and the stomach contents are thrown back into your food pipe to burn and irritate it, often, but not always, causing heartburn. My friend who died of esophageal cancer had no symptoms, no heartburn, no reflux, until he found the cancer had spread to his liver. Over time this irritation causes the lining of the esophagus, in some people, to mutate into this cancer.

Watch Out For Mint

One last warning for those with diagnosed esophageal problems. Mint can dilate your esophageal-gastric muscle ring/sphincter and cause reflux of your stomach contents into your throat. Even mint tea. What do fine restaurants give you when you’ve finished your meal? Coffee and a mint or chocolate mint; which will relieve your feeling of being overstuffed by relaxing your esophageal sphincter to take the pressure off of your full stomach.

The Tale Of Two Wolves-Galatians 5:16-26

One night an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside of people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance , self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

* Your BMI is calculated by multiplying your weight (in pounds) by 705; divide this number by your height in inches; divide this number again, by your height in inches. BMI is not a good measurement for the very muscular, very young, pregnant or frail individual. A BMI greater than 25 is considered overweight, a BMI over 30 is considered obese.

References:

Digestive Disease Week Conference, New Orleans, May, 2004.

Hampel, H., “Meta-Analysis: Obesity And The Risk For Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease And Its Complications,” Annals of Internal Medicine, 2005;143:199-211.

Mallath, M., Digestive Diseases Department, Tata Memorial Hospital, India; presenter

Bhattacharya, S., “Drinking Soda Linked To Gullet Cancer Rise,” New Scientist, 18, May, 2004.

Williams, D., “Cancer In Can,” Alternatives, August 2004; 105-106.

Vobecky, “Effect of Enhanced Bromide Intake On The Concentration Ratio I/Br In The Rat Thyroid Gland,” Biological Trace Element Research, 43:509-516;1994.

Eskandari,S., J Biol. Chem., 272:27230-8;1997.

Abraham,G., “Iodine Supplement Markedly Increases Urinary Excretion Of Fluoride And Bromide,” Townsend Letter, 238:108-9;2003.

Abraham,G., “Orthoiodosupplementation: Iodine Sufficiency Of The Whole Human Body,” Original Internist, 9:30-41;2002.

Butcher, D., “Trouble In A Can (Or Bottle),” The Tuning Fork, Arden SDA Church Health Letter, 2004.