Chronic cola drinking induces metabolic and cardiac alterations in rats

AIM: To investigate the effects of chronic drinking of cola beverages on metabolic and echocardiographic parameters in rats. METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups and allowed to drink regular cola (C), diet cola (L), or tap water (W) ad libitum during 6 mo. After this period, 50% of the animals in each group were euthanized. The remaining rats drank tap water ad libitum for an additional 6 mo and were then sacrificed. Rat weight, food, and beverage consumption were measured regularly. Biochemical, echocardiographic and systolic blood pressure data were obtained at baseline, and at 6 mo (treatment) and 12 mo (washout). A complete histopathology study was performed after sacrifice. RESULTS: After 6 mo, C rats had increased body weight (+7%, P < 0.01), increased liquid consumption (+69%, P < 0.001), and decreased food intake (-31%, P < 0.001). C rats showed mild hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Normoglycemia (+69%, P < 0.01) and sustained hypertriglyceridemia (+69%, P < 0.01) were observed in C after washout. Both cola beverages induced an increase in left ventricular diastolic diameter (C: +9%, L: +7%, P < 0.05 vs W) and volumes (diastolic C: +26%, L: +22%, P < 0.01 vs W; systolic C: +24%, L: +24%, P < 0.05 vs W) and reduction of relative posterior wall thickness (C: -8%, L: -10%, P < 0.05 vs W). Cardiac output tended to increase (C: +25%, P < 0.05 vs W; L: +17%, not significant vs W). Heart rate was not affected. Pathology findings were scarce, related to aging rather than treatment. CONCLUSION: This experimental model may prove useful to investigate the consequences of high consumption of soft drinks.     

广州某快餐连锁店2005—2008年冷饮微生物检测结果分析

目的了解广州市快餐连锁店冷饮的卫生质量,为监督执法提供有力可靠的科学依据,探讨快餐连锁店冷饮微生物污染的规律。方法对2005—2008年广州市某快餐连锁店监督抽检的冷饮样品575份进行微生物指标分析;数据采用SPSS．13．0软件包进行统计学处理。结果冷饮样品微生物指标合格率为83．3％,其中果汁类冷饮的合格率为80．0％;总体是大肠菌群超标比菌落总数为多。结论2005—2008年该连锁店冷饮卫生质量不稳定：上规模、管理规范的连锁经营,其卫生质量远高于散户小型饮料店。加强企业自身管理、引入HACCP概念．有利于提高食品安全质量。     

The suitability of a caffeinated energy drink for night-shift workers

Past research has indicated that caffeinated 'functional energy drinks' (FEDs) are effective in counteracting sleepiness. It is not known however, what impact FEDs have on sleep itself. FEDs contain several active ingredients, including caffeine. They may therefore impact negatively on sleep and hence subsequent performance, deeming their use counterproductive. In a randomised cross-over design, 15 young adults participated in a simulated first night-shift protocol with 2 conditions, Functional Energy Drink (FED) and Non Functional Energy Drink (NonFED). Both involved a period of extended wakefulness (0700-0730 h-24.5 h) followed by an 8-h daytime 'recovery' sleep (0730-1530 h). During the FED condition, a commercially available FED was administered twice during the night. Sleepiness was assessed during the period of extended wakefulness and for a further 6h after waking. Sleep periods were recorded using a standard 5 channel polysomnogram. Comparison of the sleep periods showed that sleep onset latency remained unchanged as did stage 2 and slow wave sleep. Total sleep time however, was 29.1 min shorter (p<.05) in the FED condition. Sleep efficiency was also significantly reduced from 91.8+/-.9% to 84.7+/-2.7% (p<.05). It is evident that the residual effects of the FED's active ingredients impact on some aspects of daytime sleep following a simulated night-shift. Subsequent performance however was unaffected. The results deem FEDs to be effective for a single night-shift and warrant investigation into their use over successive night-shifts.     

Cariogenicity of soft drinks, milk and fruit juice in low-income african-american children: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: The authors conducted a study to test the hypothesis that high consumption of soft drinks, relative to milk and 100 percent fruit juice, is a risk factor for dental caries in low-income African-American children in Detroit. METHODS: Trained dentists and interviewers examined a representative sample of 369 children, aged 3 to 5 years, in 2002-2003 and again two years later. The authors used the 2000 Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire (NutritionQuest, Berkeley, Calif.) to collect dietary information. They assessed caries by using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System. RESULTS: Soft drinks, 100 percent fruit juice and milk represented the sugared beverages consumed by the cohort. A cluster analysis of the relative proportion of each drink at baseline and follow-up revealed four consumption patterns. Using zero-inflated negative binomial models, the authors found that children who changed from being low consumers of soft drinks at baseline to high consumers after two years had a 1.75 times higher mean number of new decayed, missing and filled tooth surfaces compared with low consumers of soft drinks at both time points. CONCLUSION: Children who consumed more soft drinks, relative to milk and 100 percent fruit juice, as they grew older were at a greater risk of developing dental caries. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Health promotion programs and health care providers should emphasize to patients and caregivers the caries risk associated with consumption of soft drinks.     

Human enamel erosion in constant composition citric acid solutions as a function of degree of saturation with respect to hydroxyapatite

The objective of this study was to investigate human enamel erosion under constant composition conditions, as a function of solution degree of saturation (DS) with respect to hydroxyapatite. The experimental conditions were relevant to the initial stages of enamel erosion by soft drinks. Nanoindentation was used to compare enamel surface softening caused by a control mineral water and two citric acid solutions with DS = 0.000 and DS = 0.032, both having pH 3.30. Enamel hardness and reduced elastic modulus were measured after 0, 30, 60, 120, 300 and 600 s exposure. A statistically significant change in enamel hardness was detected after 30 s exposure to both citric acid solutions, indicating that nanoindentation is extremely sensitive to the initial stages of erosion. There was a statistically significant difference between the mechanical properties of enamel exposed to the two citric acid solutions after 30, 60 and 120 s. At these times, the solution with DS = 0.000 caused twice as much enamel softening as that with DS = 0.032. This demonstrates that it may be possible to design a soft drink with a low erosive potential and a good taste by a small change in DS, at a typical drink pH.     

The pH and titratable acidity of a range of diluting drinks and their potential effect on dental erosion

Objectives. To investigate, in vitro, the potential dental effects of diluting juices by measuring their acidity levels and to examine the effect dilution has on the potential erosive properties of the drinks.

Methods. Four commonly available diluting drinks were assessed for both pH and titratable acidity at a variety of dilutions, reflecting the range of concentrations over which such drinks may be consumed. Predetermined dilutions of citric acid and hydrochloric acid, with similar pH values to those of the drinks, were used as positive control acidic solutions. The pH measurements throughout the study were made using a pH electrode connected to an Orion EA940 IonAnalyser.

Results. All four drinks demonstrated a high degree of resistance to a rise in pH, indicating high intrinsic buffering capacity. The measured pH changed very little with increasing dilution ratio when compared to the citric and hydrochloric acid controls, even when considered extremely dilute. In contrast, the titratable acidity of each of the drinks reduced proportionally with increasing dilution, thereby reducing considerably its erosive potential.

Conclusions. While dilution had very little effect on the measured pH values, the titratable acidity reduced as the drink became more dilute. Since there appears to be a direct relationship between dilution and titratable acidity, the erosive potential of diluting juices may be reduced substantially by the addition of water. It remains unlikely, however, that the drinks would ever be consumed at a ‘safe’ level of dilution due to diminished taste and colour.     

Consumption of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened soft drinks and risk of cancers not related to obesity

Consumption of sugary drinks increases the risk of obesity. Previously, we reported a positive association between sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption and obesity-related cancer, but this association was not fully explained by obesity; in contrast, we found no association for consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks. Our aim was to determine whether the consumption of sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened soft drinks was associated with cancers other than those currently identified as being related to obesity. We used data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Participants completed a 121-item food-frequency questionnaire at baseline including separate questions about the number of times in the past year they had consumed sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened soft drinks. Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the risk of cancers not related to obesity. During 19 years of follow-up, there were 35,109 eligible participants who developed 4,789 cancers not related to obesity. There was no association between frequency of consuming sugar-sweetened soft drinks and the risk of these cancers, but an unexpected positive association was observed for consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks. Although, we did not find an association with sugar-sweetened soft drinks, we previously reported a positive association with obesity-related cancers, not fully explained by obesity. These findings leave unresolved the question of whether consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks influences cancer risk independently of their influence on body size.     

Nonalcoholic carbonated beverage consumption and bone fractures among women former college athletes

We report on data relating to nonalcoholic carbonated beverage consumption and bone fractures in 5,398 college alumnae, 2,622 former college athletes and 2,776 nonathletes, who responded to a detailed mailed questionnaire. A statistically significant association between nonalcoholic carbonated beverage consumption and bone fractures was found only in the former athletes, not the nonathletes. Among the athletes, the age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the association of drinkers (yes/no) with any fracture (yes/no) was 1.35, 95% confidence limits (CL) (1.14, 1.59). The dose-response relationship between the amount of carbonated beverages consumed daily and the number of bone fractures of the athletes was also statistically significant. Results of multiple logistic regression analysis, which included only alumnae greater than or equal to 50 years of age and which controlled for current exercise and other potential confounding factors, were as follows: (a) for athletes, the OR for the association of drinking nonalcoholic carbonated beverages and a first bone fracture at or after age 40 was 2.28, 95% CL (1.36, 3.84); (b) for all alumnae, a low milk diet was a risk factor for first bone fractures at or after age 40, OR = 1.92, 95% CL (1.15, 3.16); (c) former college athletes had a significantly lower risk of first fractures at or after age 40 than did nonathletes; OR = 0.63, 95% CL (0.40, 0.99). The deleterious effect of nonalcoholic carbonated beverage consumption on the risk of bone fractures has not been reported, as far as we know.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The uptake of lithium ions by synthetic carbonated hydroxyapatite

Summary Carbonated hydroxyapatites in the presence of F⁻ and Li⁺ were synthesized. Limited uptake (0.2–1.6 ppm) of Li⁺ by the apatites was observed, which was proportional to the initially added Li⁺ and the carbonate concentration of the samples. Fluoride has retarding effect on the Li⁺ uptake. Li⁺ causes a decrease in the solubility of carbonated hydroxyapatite.