Q: A recent blood test showed I was low on calcium. I drink a lot of milk and eat dairy foods I don't understand how my calcium could be low. A friend said it was all the diet soda I drink. Can soda really decrease my calcium levels?

Soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages have been linked to calcium loses in the body however the exact cause is not known. One possible link is that soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages increase the amount of urination (diuretics) which increases the losses of calcium through the urine. Another possible cause is that soft drinks contain phosphorus (or phosphoric acid) which can remove calcium out of bones and teeth.

Soft drinks can also decrease the amount of calcium rich foods and beverages you consume therefore reducing the amount of calcium absorbed.

Reference:

Schuster, Ellen Answers to Your Questions about Calcium in the Diet, 1997, Oregon State University Extension,

Answered by Sarah Janicek, B.S., Extension Associate, Nutritional Sciences Extension, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri Extension