I know caffeine is a diuretic, which is a strike against tea, coffee, and cola. If they don't eventually turn to H20 so it can react with minerals and other substances properly, that's a double whammy, I think. I may consider giving them up if they don't become H20, or at least start drinking much more water.

While I am not trying to discourage the drinking of more water (I should do that myself...)...
Soda is not a "compound" requiring it to be "split" or chemically "turned into" water.. It's a mixture that is MOSTLY water.

Drinking it is still a net positive to hydration... just not as BIG a net positive because of the diuretic properties.

Now I open the floor to other folks who will talk about how bad Soda is for you...

---

Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--
Eureka, CA

...that caffeine blocks the absorption of water.

The contention being that your body will absorb and use more water effectively without caffeine present.

But then, I heard that from the Internet, so I really don't know if it's true.

But also, I have to believe that the body can extract some H₂0 from just about any food or liquid that contain it.

---

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

There is no safety for honest men
except by believing all possible evil
of evil men.

Pixels were born to be punished. -Frederick Van Johnson

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* Sigs. It's Glocks I hate.

Diet Coke, coffee, tea, etc. are ~99% water. There's no "turning into" anything. Your body has to absorb the water from these drinks like any other. The caffeine may serve as a diuretic and increase your kidneys' water output but you don't have some valve in your digestive system which takes caffeinated drinks and shunts them directly from the GI tract to the kidneys. They all take a ride through your bloodstream after they are absorbed in the GI tract.

Quote
RAMd®d
...that caffeine blocks the absorption of water.

The contention being that your body will absorb and use more water effectively without caffeine present.

But then, I heard that from the Internet, so I really don't know if it's true.

But also, I have to believe that the body can extract some H₂0 from just about any food or liquid that contain it.

If caffeine slows/blocks absorption of water, I'd assume that caffeine drinkers have diarrhea problems as they have excessive amounts of water going straight through their GI system.

Huh?

They're almost entirely water.

Do you think the water gets locked away somehow just because someone adds sugar and colors it brown?

...

As for giving up soda, that's a great idea. The flavors, colors and sweeteners aren't doing your body any favors.

But tea? I wouldn't give that up. There's a lot more good stuff associated with tea than bad.

if i drink enough of it its the same coming out but its kinda flat.

---

Mayo Clinic on coffee:

"Researchers used to believe that caffeinated drinks had a diuretic effect. This means that you would urinate more after drinking them, which could increase your risk of becoming dehydrated. Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day."

[www.mayoclinic.com]


Also, under some circumstances sugars can cause issues also, especially in higher amounts:

"Osmotic diuretics
Compounds such as mannitol are filtered in the glomerulus, but cannot be reabsorbed. Their presence leads to an increase in the osmolarity of the filtrate. To maintain osmotic balance, water is retained in the urine.
Glucose, like mannitol, is a sugar that can behave as an osmotic diuretic. Unlike mannitol, glucose is commonly found in the blood. However, in certain conditions such as diabetes mellitus, the concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia) exceeds the maximum reabsorption capacity of the kidney. When this happens, glucose remains in the filtrate, leading to the osmotic retention of water in the urine. Glucosuria causes a loss of hypotonic water and Na+ leading to a hypertonic state with signs of volume depletion such as: dry mucosa, hypotension, tachycardia, and decreased turgor of the skin. Use of some drugs, especially stimulants may also increase blood glucose and thus increase urination."

[en.wikipedia.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2012 06:04PM by btfc.

Now I open the floor to other folks who will talk about how bad Soda is for you...

I love soda.

I drink Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Coke, with an occasional imbibing of Sierra Mist, Diet Seven Up (No caffeine, Never had it, Never will) and Orange Crush. Oh, and if I'm being completely honest, there's IBS and Barq's root beers. And a grape soda, on occasion. And Fanta Red Creme.

But to minimize the negative effects of soda, I often cut them with a couple of healthy scoops of vanilla ice cream.

I drink a half- to one liter of water a day. Yeah, I know it should be more.

---

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

There is no safety for honest men
except by believing all possible evil
of evil men.

Pixels were born to be punished. -Frederick Van Johnson

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* Sigs. It's Glocks I hate.

I gave up smoking but you will have to prise my teacup away from my cold, dead fingers!

Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day."

Ah, good to know.

Since soda has far less caffeine than coffee, I'm OK on that front.

Remember Jolt Cola? "All the sugar and twice the caffeine of regular cola!"

---

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

There is no safety for honest men
except by believing all possible evil
of evil men.

Pixels were born to be punished. -Frederick Van Johnson

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* Sigs. It's Glocks I hate.

I agree with the Paul F's statement about mixture vs. compund; you're getting plenty of water from soda, however, the OP also asked about mineral balance, and the soda really is screwing you there. Soda weakens your bones, if you imbibe with frequency. Tea has an opposite affect.

---

Le poète doit vivre beaucoup, vivre dans tous les sens. - Verlaine

Quote
btfc
Mayo Clinic on coffee:

"Researchers used to believe that caffeinated drinks had a diuretic effect. This means that you would urinate more after drinking them, which could increase your risk of becoming dehydrated. Recent research shows that this is not true and that caffeine has a diuretic effect only if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day."

Now you've done it. You mean there's not actually a drawback to drinking 5-7 cups a day?

We're gonna need a bigger coffemaker

I think they still make Jolt...

I drink probably close to two liters of diet mt dew a day... and not nearly enough water.

Water, among it's other benefits, is a lot cheaper than diet dew. But I don't plan on giving it up...

---

Paul F.
-----
A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
----
Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
--
Eureka, CA

Diet Mt. Dew!

That's another one, but I don't see that often, so it's a treat.

---

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

There is no safety for honest men
except by believing all possible evil
of evil men.

Pixels were born to be punished. -Frederick Van Johnson

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* Sigs. It's Glocks I hate.

I really enjoy soda, and have found it even more enjoyable when iced down and mixed with an ounce or two of good Scotch.

Pizza and root beer!

Yes!

Sausage, pepperoni, and black olives on a deep dish, cheese laden pizza with ice cold root beer!

---

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

-An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

There is no safety for honest men
except by believing all possible evil
of evil men.

Pixels were born to be punished. -Frederick Van Johnson

Mister, that's a ten-gallon hat on a twenty-gallon head.

I *love* Sigs. It's Glocks I hate.

What's the deal with the Dew? It seems like everyone who drinks it does so by the case.

---

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde

Mountain Dew is what Diet Coke turns into.



Consuming massive quantities of aspartame just has to be good for you.

Paying for 0 nutrition makes wonderful financial sense, too.

Quote
RAMd®d
But then, I heard that from the Internet, so I really don't know if it's true.

What?!?!? I thought everything on the internet was true......

I don't know what I'd do if I had to give up tea. I drink it hot in the morning and iced at lunch and throughout the afternoon. Don't drink it past 6pm, or I don't sleep as well.

No one mentioned the large amount of salt diet drinks have which dehydrates you and makes you want to drink more

Ask anyone who drinks Diet Coke and most will tell you it is seriously addicting.

How about trying decaf tea?

On the rare occasion when I drink soda any more, I usually try to cut it with an equal part of water. I think I have only had one can so far this year (no, it was not a really big can ).

---

in tha 510.

The best thing for you is to use red bull instead of water to make your coffee with.

I lived off Mountain Dew in college. I quit drinking it regularly back in the early '90s. Now if I drink it, I get a stomach ache. I guess it's the caffeine. Now I just have about a cup of coffee a day (if that) and drink about 2 liters of water a day. My system is pretty happy with that.

Quote
RAMd®d
Diet Mt. Dew!

That's another one, but I don't see that often, so it's a treat.

Lately I've been on a Diet Squirt binge. Though I still enjoy my Diet Sunkist Orange. I drink water when I workout because it's the easiest way to get water past my lips.

Apparently so or I would have turned into a mummy years ago....