2362 Cola Decrease

There was a time when the soda pop industry portrayed themselves as the key to energy and vitality. A certain soft drink claimed the whole baby boomer generation. Another wanted to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. And while they were at it buy one another a soda. The cola wars were about purveying peace.

That was then and this is now. Story after story has the soft drink makers against the wall for causing the obesity epidemic. Too much sugar causes obesity. Too many artificial sweeteners trick the body into causing obesity. What's a poor soda pop maker to do? 

Now there's another blow. Scientists have determined that sugary soda causes premature aging. Yep, they speed up the aging process.

The researchers determined this by looking a test subjects' telomeres, those end caps on their chromosomes that shrink with age. A test of 5300 Californians found that those who drank more sodas generally had shorter telomeres. 

Those who drank 20 ounces of soda a day, far less than a 64-ounce Big Gulp, had telomeres reflecting an additional 4.6 years of aging. That's approximately the same effect smoking has on one's telomeres. Good news for diet soda drinkers, there was no change in telomeres there. Nor from fruit juices. The effect was true independent of weight gain. Skinny sugary soda slurpers had shorter telomeres too. 

It used to be one drink maker said their product had a lot to give and you've got a lot to live. Now, apparently, not as much to live as they had hoped. As for it's cola war competitor --- bottom line boomers, if you'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, you'd better hurry.

You just had your plans shortened by a half decade. 

America, ya gotta love it.