Newsflash: 10 liters of Coke a day, every day IS NOT HEALTHY!

[Syt]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21423499

Coca-Cola drinking 'linked to New Zealander's death'

Drinking large quantities of Coca-Cola was a "substantial factor" in the death of a 30-year-old woman in New Zealand, a coroner has said.

Natasha Harris, who died three years ago after a cardiac arrest, drank up to 10 litres of the fizzy drink each day.

This is twice the recommended safe limit of caffeine and more than 11 times the recommended sugar intake.

Coca-Cola had argued that it could not be proved its product had contributed to Ms Harris' death.

The mother of eight, from the southern city of Invercargill, had suffered for years from ill health.

Her family said she had developed an addiction to Coca-Cola and would get withdrawal symptoms, including "the shakes", if she went without her favourite drink.

She drank Coke throughout her waking hours and her teeth had been removed because of decay.

Coroner David Crerar said her Coca-Cola consumption had given rise to cardiac arrhythmia, a condition when the heart beats too fast or too slow.

"I find that when all the available evidence is considered, were it not for the consumption of very large quantities of Coke by Natasha Harris, it is unlikely that she would have died when she died and how she died," Mr Crerar's finding said.

The coroner calculated that drinking 10 litres (17.5 pints) of Coke amounted to more than 1kg (2.2lb) of sugar and 970mg of caffeine, Television New Zealand (TVNZ) reports.

Mr Crerar said that Coca-Cola could not be held responsible for the health of consumers who drank excessive quantities of its product.

But he called on soft drinks companies to display clearer warnings on their beverages about the risks of too much sugar and caffeine.

Ms Harris and her family should have heeded the warning signs about her ill health, the coroner added.

"The fact she had her teeth extracted several years before her death because of what her family believed was Coke induced tooth decay, and the fact that one or more of her children were born without enamel on their teeth, should have been treated by her, and by her family, as a warning," TVNZ quotes his statement as saying.

[Valmy]

Ah hell I am really going to have to cut back

Wow that is more than five times the amount of coffee I consume on my worst most caffiene addled days

[Eddie Teach]

Her family said she had developed an addiction to Coca-Cola and would get withdrawal symptoms, including "the shakes", if she went without her favourite drink.

SEE IT'S NOT SO EASY

[Valmy]

Her family said she had developed an addiction to Coca-Cola and would get withdrawal symptoms, including "the shakes", if she went without her favourite drink.

SEE IT'S NOT SO EASY

I just talked to a lady last weekend who had quit smoking and soft drinks and said that soft drinks was actually harder.  I believe it

[Syt]

A few days without coffee and I get horrific headaches. One or two cups per day is enough, though.

[Caliga]

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit reading the article.

[Zanza]

I had expected a fatter, more unhealthy looking person from the description:

[Caliga]

You guys realize Terri Schiavo--famous vegetable here in the US who got pulled off life support a few years back--did pretty much the same thing, right (except her drink of choice was sweet tea)?  She was actually thin to the point of being anorexic, IIRC.  Her 'diet' basically consisted of gallons and gallons of sweet tea daily.  She had previously been fat and was trying to lose weight in order to get pregnant.

[katmai]

So Ide has what,two more good years?

[derspiess]

So Ide has what,two more good years?

But it's *diet* coke!!!

[MadImmortalMan]

I stopped drinking it entirely some time back. I don't miss it.

[merithyn]

I gave up soda and coffee for three months when I was diagnosed with the ulcer. Now, I drink maybe one or two 20-ounce bottles of Diet Pepsi and maybe 2-3 cups of coffee a week.

It's coffee that I miss most.

[Ideologue]

So Ide has what,two more good years?

But it's *diet* coke!!!

3 liters or so is ok, right?

[derspiess]

So Ide has what,two more good years?

But it's *diet* coke!!!

3 liters or so is ok, right?

I'm sure your kidneys will remain well-flushed, at least.

[Ideologue]

I  do pee a lot.  N.B.: IT IS NOT DIABETES.

Probably.

Actually, I've cut down on the sweets.  Turns out sitting on my ass for ten hours a day stuffing my face with cookies out of boredom was not healthy.  Who could have known?

Fortunately, I'm also a hypervigilant anti-fatty, as my ruined relationships attest, so the problem is being dealt with.  It's probably for the best since I don't have the endrocrine system of a young man anymore anyway.