According to a new study on rats, drinking cola may cause memory impairment and oxidative stress in the brain. The researchers from Brazil discovered dramatic enhancement of biological stress markers in the brains of rats. This was evaluated based on 68 days of drinking cola-based soft beverages.
In a controlled lab setting, the researchers worked on understanding how the drinks alter the brains of rodents. Moreover, a previous study has linked heavy drinking to an increased risk of disease and cognitive impairment.
Controlled Group Trial
Two groups of rats were formed. One group consumed soft drinks as much as they desired. But had access to water if needed, whereas the other group drank only water. They were kept on this cycle for 67 days before being slaughtered on the 68th day to collect the brain tissue. Moreover, the rats were then treated to a series of maze tests that evaluated spatial memory and behaviour prior to slaughter. This was done to determine any differences between the soft drink and control groups.
The soft drinks caused memory deficits and decreased maze test scores in young rats between two to eight months. However, this impact was not seen in older animals. Tissue research revealed greater levels of oxidative stress indicators in cola-drinking rats of all ages, indicating biological changes. Moreover, the younger rats resulted in vulnerability to behavioural alterations.
The findings suggest that soft drink use is linked to neurodegeneration and cognitive deficits, with higher levels of oxidative stress also strongly linked to an increased risk of dementia.
While high-sugar diets have been related to similar consequences, rats drinking soft drinks did not have greater blood glucose levels, indicating another mechanism.
The authors acknowledge that there may be gender differences, and only male rats were evaluated in this study. Future studies should include both genders of rats. Since males and females sometimes respond differently to dietary risk factors like high sugar intake.
So, it isn’t clear whether the effects are similar in humans just yet, it may be time to put down the can of cola.
