Short-time ingestion of colas influences the activity distribution at bone scintigraphy: experimental studies in the...

A negative effect of soft drinks, especially phosphate containing colas, on bone mineral contents has been reported. Most studies have been epidemiological investigations or performed in healthy humans.

The aim was to study the effect of short-time ingestion of Coca-Cola, a phosphate containing soft drink, and of Fanta, a non-phosphate containing soft drink, in a murine system for bone scintigraphy. This technique may be used to study bone metabolism.

After feeding the beverages to the mice during different time periods (2 h to 6 days), the animals were injected with the bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical. The activity distribution was thereafter mapped by dissecting the hind legs and different soft tissue organs and assessing their activity with a gamma-counter. Controls were mice drinking water.

After drinking Coca-Cola there was a significantly increased bone uptake of the tracer and a reduced uptake by most soft tissues versus controls. After Fanta there were no differences. Comparing Coca-Cola and Fanta, there was a significantly lower uptake by all soft tissues after Coca-Cola, but no significant difference for bone.

Short-time ingestion of Coca-Cola in mice causes an increased bone uptake and a reduced soft tissue uptake at bone scintigraphy. There may be a similar, weaker effect by Fanta. This is in agreement with previous studies indicating that soft drinks may, on their own, have a metabolic effect on the bone.