There was a dark period in my young life where I consumed between 2 and 40 cans of coke a day — not Diet Coke or Pepsi, mind you, but pure, unfiltered, Triple-C Coca-Cola Classic. (Only the best for my body, I always say). I had to quit when my sugar levels got so high I would lift a bus but then crash hard and take a nap right on the curb after I threw it. That's how the cops find you.
I hadn't thought about it much since, but now I'm a little bit worried about my past: Drinking two or more cola drinks, artificially sweetened or not, can lead to a twofold risk of chronic, serious kidney disease, according to a study published in the journal Epidemiology.
Colas contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which has been linked to kidney stones and renal problems, but the evidence was considered largel anecdotal and circumstantial until the NIH decided to investigate.
