Too Much Cola Can Cause Muscle Problems

 

By HealthDay - Wed May 27, 8:49 PM PDT

- WEDNESDAY, May 27 (Health Day News) -- Drinking too much cola can increase the risk of a muscle problem called hypokalemia, experts warn.

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In people with hypokalemia, a drop in blood potassium levels results in problems with vital muscle functions. Symptoms can range from mild weakness to serious paralysis, say Greek researchers who conducted a review of people who drank between two to nine liters of cola a day.

Two of the patients were pregnant women who were admitted to hospital with low potassium levels. One was a 21-year-old woman who drank up to three liters of cola a day and complained of fatigue, appetite loss and persistent vomiting. An electrocardiogram revealed she had a heart blockage, and blood tests showed she had low potassium levels, the researchers explained in a news release.

The second pregnant patient, who'd consumed up to seven liters of cola a day for 10 months, had low potassium levels and was suffering from increasing muscular weakness, the researchers noted.

Both patients made a rapid and full recovery after they stopped drinking cola and took oral or intravenous potassium. The case studies are described in the June issue of the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

"We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before, and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralization and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes," and there's increasing evidence that excessive cola consumption leads to hypokalemia, Dr. Moses Elisaf, of the University of Ioannina, said in the news release.

Elisaf said the three most common ingredients in cola -- glucose, fructose and caffeine -- can contribute to hypokalemia.

"The individual role of each of these ingredients in the pathophysiology of cola-induced hypokalemia has not been determined and may vary in different patients," Elisaf said. "However, in most of the cases we looked at for our review, caffeine intoxication was thought to play the most important role. This has been borne out by case studies that focus on other products that contain high levels of caffeine but no glucose or fructose."

However, "caffeine-free cola products can also cause hypokalemia because the fructose they contain can cause diarrhea," Elisaf said.

Potassium is needed for cells, especially nerve and muscle cells, to function properly. You get potassium through food. The kidneys remove excess potassium in the urine to keep a proper balance of the mineral in the body.

Hypokalemia is a metabolic disorder that occurs when the level of potassium in the blood drops too low.

Possible causes of hypokalemia include:

• Certain antibiotics (carbenicillin, gentamicin, amphotericin B)
• Certain drugs, called diuretics, that can cause excess urination
• Diarrhea (including the use of too many laxatives, which can cause diarrhea)
• Diseases that affect the kidney's ability to retain potassium (for example, Liddle syndrome, Cushing syndrome, hyperaldosteronism, Bartter syndrome, Fanconi syndrome)
• Eating disorders (such as bulimia)
• Eating large amounts of licorice or using products such as herbal teas and chewing tobaccos that contain licorice made with glycyrrhetinic acid (this substance is no longer used in licorice made in the United States)
• Excessive sweating
• Excessive vomiting
• Kidney problems
• Lack of enough potassium in diet (rarely)

Symptoms   

A small drop in potassium usually doesn't cause symptoms. However, a big drop in the level can be life threatening.

Symptoms of hypokalemia include:

• Abnormal heart rhythms (dysrhythmias), especially in people with heart disease
• Breakdown of muscle fibers (rhabdomyolysis)
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness or spasms
• Paralysis (which can include the lungs)

Exams and Tests   

Your health care provider will take a sample of your blood to check potassium levels.

Other tests might include:

• Arterial blood gas
• BUN and creatinine
• Electrocardiogram
• Glucose, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, thyroxine, or aldosterone

Treatment   

Mild hypokalemia can be treated by taking potassium supplements by mouth. Persons with more severe cases may need to get potassium through a vein (intravenously).

If you need to use diuretics, your doctor may switch you to a form that keeps potassium in the body (such as triamterene, amiloride, or spironolactone).

One type of hypokalemia that causes paralysis occurs when there is too much thyroid hormone in the blood (thyrotoxic periodic paralysis). Treatment lowers the thyroid hormone level, and raises the potassium level in the blood.

Outlook (Prognosis)   

Taking potassium supplements can usually correct the problem. Without proper treatment, potassium levels in severe cases can drop low enough to cause death.

Possible Complications   

In severe cases, patients can develop paralysis that can be life threatening. Hypokalemia also can lead to dangerous irregular heartbeat. Over time, lack of potassium can lead to kidney damage (hypokalemic nephropathy).

When to Contact a Medical Professional    

Call your health care provider if you have been vomiting or have had excessive diarrhea, or if you are taking diuretics and have symptoms of hypokalemia.

Prevention   

Eating a diet rich in potassium can help prevent hypokalemia. Foods high in potassium include:

• Bananas
• Bran
• Brussels sprouts
• Granola
• Kiwi
• Lima beans
• Milk
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Peanut butter
• Peas and beans
• Tomatoes

 

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