Month Of Soda Drinking Can Have Lifelong Effects

At this point everyone is pretty convinced that sugary drinks and sodas aren't all that good for us, but surely they're OK in moderation, right? Unfortunately, a new study indicates that such beverages consumed regularly can have long-term negative health effects even in periods as short as a month.

According to The Telegraph, sweetened sodas and fruit juices can alter the body's metabolism so that a person's muscles start burning sugar for energy, instead of burning fat.

The long-term result of that effect is that it's harder for people to lose weight, because their bodies preferentially burn sugar over fat. The study suggests that would increase blood sugar levels and the likelihood of obesity-related health issues like Type 2 diabetes. The worst part is that the effect takes place after a short period of regular soda consumption. Regularly consuming sugary drinks for just a month will do it.

"Not only can regular sugar intake acutely change our body metabolism; in fact it seems that our muscles are able to sense the sugars and make our metabolism more inefficient, not only in the present but in the future as well," said Dr. Hans-Peter Kubis of Bangor University, who led the study.

"This will lead a reduced ability to burn fat and to fat gain. Moreover, it will make it more difficult for our body to cope with rises in blood sugar," he said.