For many people, reaching for a fizzy drink is part of everyday life.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!But one doctor’s shocking case has highlighted how excessive soft drink consumption could have devastating consequences for your health, after he removed an astonishing 35 kidney stones from a patient who admitted drinking between two and three litres of cola every single day.
The dramatic case was shared by Brazilian urologist Dr. Thales Andrade, who posted footage on Instagram showing a tray piled high with dozens of large yellow kidney stones shortly after completing the operation. Behind him, the patient could be seen lying on the operating table following the procedure.
Per The New York Post, the extraordinary images quickly attracted widespread attention online, serving as a stark warning about the potential impact of consuming sugary soft drinks in large quantities over a prolonged period.
According to Dr. Andrade, the patient had developed an incredible 35 stones after years of drinking vast amounts of cola each day.
In the video, Dr. Andrade delivered a simple but important message about prevention.
“Maintaining adequate hydration and avoiding excessive consumption of soda are essential measures for prevention,” he said. “Kidney health begins with the daily choices of what we drink.”
While the number of stones removed in this case is particularly unusual, kidney stones themselves are far from rare.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, kidney stones develop when substances normally found in urine—including calcium, sodium, oxalate and uric acid—become too concentrated. When there isn’t enough fluid to dilute these substances, they begin sticking together and crystallising into hard stones.
Some stones are tiny enough to pass unnoticed through the urinary tract. Others can grow significantly larger, becoming lodged and causing severe pain as they block the flow of urine.
In more serious cases, medical intervention is required to either break up or surgically remove the stones.
Symptoms can vary depending on the size and location of the stone but commonly include severe pain in the lower back or side, persistent stomach pain, blood in the urine, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills and urine that appears cloudy or has a strong smell.
If left untreated, urinary stones can also lead to serious complications including kidney damage, infection, renal failure and, in severe cases, sepsis.
The connection between sugary fizzy drinks and kidney stones has been studied for years, with experts pointing to several ingredients that may increase the risk.
Registered dietitian Kelsey Costa previously told Eat This, Not That!: “Drinking soda, especially those made with high fructose corn syrup, can increase uric acid levels in the body. This can cause crystals to form in the kidneys, resulting in painful kidney stones.”
Cola drinks also contain phosphoric acid, an ingredient believed to make urine more acidic and create an environment where crystals are more likely to develop.
Many soft drinks also contain caffeine, which can contribute to dehydration because of its mild diuretic effect. Since dehydration is one of the leading risk factors for kidney stones, regularly replacing water with fizzy drinks may further increase the likelihood of stones forming.
Research appears to support those concerns.
A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that people who drink one or more sugary sodas every day have a 23% higher risk of developing kidney stones compared to people who consume less than one serving per week.
The encouraging news is that reducing consumption can make a measurable difference.
One study found that kidney stone sufferers who stopped drinking sodas containing phosphoric acid reduced their risk of developing another stone by 15%.
The Brazilian case has also prompted wider discussion among nutrition experts.
Speaking about the patient’s reported habit of drinking up to three litres of cola daily, nutritionist Julie Boët highlighted just how much sugar that amounts to.
“Drinking three liters of soda per day amounts to ingesting almost a kilo of sugar per week,” she said, via TruMedical. “It is more than thirty times the ideal recommendation of the WHO, which recommends less than 25 to 30 grams of sugar per day.”
She also warned that the health effects extend well beyond kidney stones.
“Excess sugar alters metabolism, increases the risks of diabetes, obesity, chronic inflammation and kidney dysfunctions,” Boët continued. “As for phosphoric acid, it can also promote bone demineralization, irritate the stomach and unbalance the intestinal flora.”
Rather than encouraging people to quit sugary drinks overnight, Boët suggested taking a gradual approach.
She recommended sugar-free sparkling water as a replacement, along with naturally flavouring water using ingredients such as lemon, mint, ginger or berries. She also pointed to aroma-diffusing water bottles that can mimic the taste experience of drinking cola without adding sugar or artificial additives.
Kidney stones affect around one in 10 people during their lifetime, with men in their 30s and 40s considered among the highest-risk groups, although they can develop at any age and affect both men and women.
Alongside sugary drinks, other factors that can increase the risk include dehydration, diets high in salt, sugar or animal protein, obesity, diabetes, gout, inflammatory bowel disease, high blood pressure, certain medications and even a family history of kidney stones.
Featured image credit: Instagram/drthalesandrade (screenshots)
