Too much cola can cause kidney problems

It is well known that too much soda can increase the risk of diabetes and obesity. But when it comes to kidney problems, is there a difference between colas and other kinds of soda? Colas contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which has been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems. Much of this conclusion stems from anecdotal and circumstantial evidence. So last year, a team of scientists at the National Institutes of Health took a closer look. In a study published in the journal Epidemiology, the team compared the dietary habits of 465 people with chronic kidney disease and 467 healthy people. After controlling for various factors, the team found that drinking two or more colas a day8212;whether artificially sweetened or regular8212;was linked to a twofold risk of chronic kidney disease. But drinking two or more noncola carbonated drinks a day, they found, did not increase the risk.

Caffeine unsafe for pregnant women
Too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, a new study says, and the authors suggest that pregnant women may want to reduce their intake or cut it out entirely. Many obstetricians already advise women to limit caffeine, though the subject has long been contentious, with conflicting studies, fuzzy data and various recommendations given over the years. The new study, being published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, finds that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day8212;the amount in 10 ounces of coffee or 25 ounces of tea8212;may double their risk of miscarriage. Pregnant women should try to give up caffeine for at least the first three or four months, said the lead author of the study.

Walking an hour a week cuts colon cancer risk
A new study confirms that physical activity reduces colon cancer risk. While just an hour of walking a week seemed to protect against the disease, the more strenuously women exercised, the lower their risk, Dr Kathleen Y. Wolin of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and colleagues found. 8220;Our findings suggest that participation in lower intensity activities may be sufficient to reduce risk though more vigorous activity provides comparable or perhaps additional risk reduction,8221; they write in the International Journal of Cancer. The study found that women who walked for 1 to 1.9 hours each week were 31 per cent less likely to develop colon cancer than those who didn8217;t walk at all, the researchers found. And women who exercised at moderate or vigorous intensity for more than four hours weekly were at 44 percent lower risk of colon cancer than those who exercised for less than an hour a week.