Drinking soft drinks regularly could affect fertility, an observational study published in the journal Epidemiology suggested. The study revealed that drinking even one sugary drink each day could be enough to lower the chances of having a baby, for both men and women.

For the study, researchers from Boston University School of Public Health in Massachusetts evaluated 3,828 women aged between 21 and 45, and 1,045 of their male partners. These men and women were recruited through the Pregnancy Study Online cohort study. The researchers recorded the participants’ medical history, lifestyle, and diet through regular questionnaires that were conducted until they became pregnant.

After the data collection and analysis, the researchers observed that the everyday intake of soft drinks reduced the chances of pregnancy by 20 percent. On the other hand, they did not see a strong relation between fruit juices or diet drinks and infertility. Although the researchers saw a link between fertility and energy drinks, they noted that the findings were only based on a small number of participants so these should be viewed with caution.

“We found positive associations between intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and lower fertility, which were consistent after controlling for many other factors, including obesity, caffeine intake, alcohol, smoking, and overall diet quality,”  explained Elizabeth Hatch, a professor of epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health.

The findings contribute to the increasing number of research on the negative effects of regular sugar consumption. The researchers suggested that couples who are planning to conceive might want to limit their consumption of these drinks, especially since they are also linked to other health issues.

Sugar-sweetened beverages or sugary drinks, such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks, are the number one source of added sugars in the American diet. These are any drinks that are sweetened with different forms of added sugars like brown sugars, corn sweetener, corn syrup, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, and a lot more. (Related: Many soft drinks found to be contaminated with lead and cadmium.)

According to the estimates of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average American youth consume 143 calories from sugary drinks, while the average American adult consumes 145 calories from sugary drinks on a given day. Six out of 10 youth and five in 10 adults drank a sugary drink a day from 2011 to 2014.

Adults and teens who smoke, do not get enough sleep, do not exercise much, eat fast food frequently, and do not eat fruit on a regular basis are more likely to be regular consumers of sugary beverages. In addition, teenagers who often drink these beverages also spend more time on television, cell phones, computers, or video games.

Replacing soft drinks

There are other beverage options you can drink in place of soft drinks. Here are some of them:

• Water – Water is the best when it comes to replacing sugary soft drinks and bottled drinks. If you want some color and a subtle layer of flavor, make an infused water. Add in some cucumber and lemon or a handful of pomegranate seeds to your water.
• Juice – Coconut water or real fruit juices without the added sugars are also a healthy option for replacing sugary drinks.
• Sparkling water – If you still want some fizz on your drink, opt for sparkling water and some lemon and a dash of herbs.
• Probiotic drinks – You can try drinking probiotic drinks like kombucha. This fermented tea is good for the gut. You can also opt for a yogurt-based smoothie with some fresh fruit or honey.

Read more news stories and studies on the negative effects of sugar by going to Sweeteners.news.

Sources include:

Diabetes.co.uk

CDC.gov

CureJoy.com