Effects of cola intake on fertility: a review

The consumption of soft drinks has increased considerably during the last decades. Among them, the cola-based preparations are possibly the refreshments with the largest sales worldwide. During the previous years, important concerns have been raised about the effects of colas on human health. In this review, we introduce the cola effects on reproduction including pregnancy miscarriages, ovulatory and menstrual disorders, and reduced semen quality. Although caffeine intoxication may be thought to play the most important role, a component of cola other than caffeine, or in combination with caffeine, may be associated with increased risk of reproductive hazards in heavy cola (> 1 L per day)-consumers. Cola discontinuation usually leads to an uneventful recovery in the most cases suggesting justification of limitations in the maximum recommended daily dose of these soft drinks. Cola is not an essential beverage, and abstaining from drinking more than 1 L per day is a minor intrusion in one’s personal life. Despite these uncertainties, this growing know- ledge may alarm the fertility risk of chronic cola intake in peoples of childbearing age.

[1]  T. K. Jensen,et al.  Caffeine intake and semen quality in a population of 2,554 young Danish men. , 2010, American journal of epidemiology.

[2]  M. Roizen.  Cola-induced hypokalaemia: pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical implications , 2010 .

[3]  K. Tucker.  Osteoporosis prevention and nutrition , 2009, Current osteoporosis reports.

[4]  Kaare Christensen,et al.  Good semen quality and life expectancy: a cohort study of 43,277 men. , 2009, American journal of epidemiology.

[5]  C. D. Packer.  Cola‐induced hypokalaemia: a super‐sized problem , 2009, International journal of clinical practice.

[6]  W. Willett,et al.  Caffeinated and Alcoholic Beverage Intake in Relation to Ovulatory Disorder Infertility , 2009, Epidemiology.

[7]  J. Olsen,et al.  Semen quality according to prenatal coffee and present caffeine exposure: two decades of follow-up of a pregnancy cohort. , 2008, Human reproduction.

[8]  M. Gold,et al.  Caffeine in miscarriages: it's not just in the coffee. , 2008, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology.

[9]  L. Signorello,et al.  Caffeine and miscarriage: case closed? , 2008, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology.

[10]  A. Luke,et al.  Sugary Soda Consumption and Albuminuria: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2004 , 2008, PloS one.

[11]  W. Nseir,et al.  Soft drink consumption linked with fatty liver in the absence of traditional risk factors. , 2008, Canadian journal of gastroenterology = Journal canadien de gastroenterologie.

[12]  K. Anderson,et al.  Coffee and caffeine intake and the risk of ovarian cancer: the Iowa Women’s Health Study , 2008, Cancer Causes & Control.

[13]  Todd A Guth.  Maternal Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy and the Risk of Miscarriage: A Prospective Cohort Study , 2008 .

[14]  D. Savitz,et al.  Caffeine and Miscarriage Risk , 2008, Epidemiology.

[15]  T. K. Jensen,et al.  Self-rated health and semen quality among 3,457 young Danish men. , 2007, Fertility and sterility.

[16]  J. Olsen,et al.  Is maternal obesity related to semen quality in the male offspring? A pilot study. , 2007, Human reproduction.

[17]  Takahiko Nakagawa,et al.  Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. , 2007, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[18]  D. Sandler,et al.  Carbonated Beverages and Chronic Kidney Disease , 2007, Epidemiology.

[19]  J. Olsen,et al.  Is prenatal exposure to tobacco smoking a cause of poor semen quality? A follow-up study. , 2007, American journal of epidemiology.

[20]  E. Oztaş,et al.  Evaluation of the effect of cola drinks on bone mineral density and associated factors. , 2007, Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology.

[21]  C. Kawas,et al.  Non-alcoholic beverage and caffeine consumption and mortality: the Leisure World Cohort Study. , 2007, Preventive medicine.

[22]  A. Bardow,et al.  Immediate Erosive Potential of Cola Drinks and Orange Juices , 2006, Journal of dental research.

[23]  F. Barros,et al.  Does caffeine consumption during pregnancy increase the risk of fetal mortality? A literature review. , 2005, Cadernos de saude publica.

[24]  J. Olsen,et al.  Coffee and fetal death: a cohort study with prospective data. , 2005, American journal of epidemiology.

[25]  K. Acheson.  Caffeine and insulin sensitivity. , 2005, Metabolic syndrome and related disorders.

[26]  L. Signorello,et al.  Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Spontaneous Abortion: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence , 2004, Epidemiology.

[27]  Á. Theodórs,et al.  Relationship between dental erosion, soft drink consumption, and gastroesophageal reflux among Icelanders , 2004, Clinical Oral Investigations.

[28]  A. Leviton,et al.  A review of the literature relating caffeine consumption by women to their risk of reproductive hazards. , 2002, Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association.

[29]  S. Swan,et al.  Caffeine consumption and menstrual function. , 1999, American journal of epidemiology.

[30]  L. Fedele,et al.  Coffee consumption and risk of hospitalized miscarriage before 12 weeks of gestation. , 1998, Human reproduction.

[31]  T. Einarson,et al.  Moderate to heavy caffeine consumption during pregnancy and relationship to spontaneous abortion and abnormal fetal growth: a meta-analysis. , 1998, Reproductive toxicology.

[32]  T. K. Jensen,et al.  Caffeine intake and fecundability: a follow-up study among 430 Danish couples planning their first pregnancy. , 1998, Reproductive toxicology.

[33]  R W Setzer,et al.  Human sperm morphometry and smoking, caffeine, and alcohol consumption. , 1997, Reproductive toxicology.

[34]  L. Bisanti,et al.  Caffeine intake and delayed conception: a European multicenter study on infertility and subfecundity. European Study Group on Infertility Subfecundity. , 1997, American journal of epidemiology.

[35]  R. Gray,et al.  Effects of caffeine consumption on delayed conception. , 1995, American journal of epidemiology.

[36]  B. Eskenazi,et al.  Effect of Cigarette Smoking and Coffee Drinking on Time to Conception , 1995, Epidemiology.

[37]  N. Benowitz,et al.  Caffeine and coffee: effects on health and cardiovascular disease. , 1994, Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part C, Pharmacology, toxicology & endocrinology.

[38]  T. Tamaya,et al.  Hypokalemia in a pregnant woman with long‐term heavy cola consumption , 1994, International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.

[39]  F. Grodstein,et al.  Relation of female infertility to consumption of caffeinated beverages. , 1993, American journal of epidemiology.

[40]  V. Beral,et al.  Are caffeinated beverages risk factors for delayed conception? , 1990, The Lancet.

[41]  N. Benowitz,et al.  Clinical pharmacology of caffeine. , 1990, Annual review of medicine.

[42]  P. Marshburn,et al.  Semen quality and association with coffee drinking, cigarette smoking, and ethanol consumption. , 1989, Fertility and sterility.

[43]  R. Christianson,et al.  CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES AND DECREASED FERTILITY , 1989, The Lancet.

[44]  D. Kitts.  Studies on the estrogenic activity of a coffee extract. , 1987, Journal of toxicology and environmental health.

[45]  M. Arnaud.  The pharmacology of caffeine. , 1987, Progress in drug research. Fortschritte der Arzneimittelforschung. Progres des recherches pharmaceutiques.

[46]  A H Neims,et al.  The disposition of caffeine during and after pregnancy. , 1981, Seminars in perinatology.

[47]  A. Neims,et al.  Caffeine metabolism in the newborn , 1979, Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics.

[48]  R. Warren,et al.  Passage of caffeine into human gonadal and fetal tissue. , 1962, Biochemical pharmacology.