Soft Drinks Make Metabolism Inefficient and Breed Diseases

New research done by a team at the Bangor University has shown strong evidence to the previously existing concern over sugary drinks. The new study claims that sugary drinks lead to alterations in muscles similar to those in people with obesity problems and type-2 diabetes. 

Changing lifestyles are the prime reason for the popularity of fast food today. People are becoming slaves to junk food because it is easily available and most importantly, doesn't burn a hole in one's wallet. Most of them ignore the harsh reality that, fast food, although a convenient and tasty addition to one's diet, can have serious health and social effects.

Soda, which is highly addictive, has been considered as the biggest source of added sugar in the American diet. It is estimated that each American on an average consumes 50 gallons of sweetened soft drinks per year.

New research done by a team at the Bangor University has shown strong evidence to the previously existing concern over sugary drinks. The new study claims that sugary drinks lead to alterations in muscles similar to those in people with obesity problems and type-2 diabetes.

It says that these fizzy sweetened drinks alter the body's metabolism so that the muscles use sugar for energy instead of burning fat.

Dr. Hans-Peter Kubis, who led the research at the University's School of Sport, Health & Excercise Sceinces, explains: "This study proves that our concerns over sugary drinks have been correct. Not only can regular sugar intake acutely change our body metabolism; in fact it seems that our muscles are able to sense the sugars and make our metabolism more inefficient, not only in the present but in the future as well. This will lead a reduced ability to burn fat and to fat gain. Moreover, it will make it more difficult for our body to cope with rises in blood sugar. What is clear here is that our body adjusts to regular soft drink consumption and prepares itself for the future diet by changing muscle metabolism via altered gene activity - encouraging unhealthy adaptations similar to those seen in people with obesity problems and type-2 diabetes." 

The study that was published in the European Journal of Nutrition consisted of 11 people in their twenties who supplemented their diets with sugary soft drinks for a month. Before and after the study they had their blood and muscle tissue, as well as their whole body metabolism and composition, tested. Genes and proteins important for fat and sugar metabolism were analyzed and blood sugar and fats assessed.

What the researchers noticed is that it is not the sugar in itself that puts on weight but the way it gets the body to store more. This relates to all kinds of soft drinks with high sugar content, including fruit juices.

"It was a small study because it is difficult to find young people who have not previously been exposed to a lot of soft drinks and who are willing to undergo muscle biopsies.
But we are now hoping to carry out a bigger study with more participants over a longer period of time."

Kubis has been campaigning for the government to take action to address the problem of soft drink consumption.

Kubis concluded saying, "Together with our findings about how drinking soft drinks dulls the perception of sweetness, our new results give a stark warning against regularly drinking sugar sweetened drinks."