In a recent article I read, the author brought attention to the fact that a review of people who drank between two to nine liters of cola a day are susceptible to the disease known as Hypokalemia. Nowhere in that article did it state what Hypokalemia. Now, you may know what that is, but I didn’t and so, I went researching.
Hypokalemia is a condition where there is a low concentration of potassium in the blood. People with this condition have vital muscle functions when there is a drop in the levels of their blood potassium. Mild weakness to paralysis are in the range of symptoms.
Researchers in Greece conducted the review. They had two patients in their review group who they admitted to the hospital. Both were pregnant and showing low potassium levels. Both drank anywhere from one to seven liters of soda a day. That’s a lot of soda. One was suffering from a heart blockage and low potassium levels while the other was suffering from muscular weakness. (My first reaction was, what in the world is a pregnant woman doing consuming any caffeine product at all, not to mention in those quantities?! Have they not heard what caffeine does to an unborn child?)
Upon giving up their soda habits, both recovered. It is noted they also were given oral or intravenous potassium. It was stated that glucose, fructose and caffeine could contribute to the condition. These three ingredients are the most common found in cola.
Okay, so you may ask, what does this have to do with Parkinson’s?
Maybe nothing. Maybe something.
Cola-induced hypokalemia is said to not have been determined as of yet. In the review, however, it was thought to have extreme impact, due to the caffeine and fructose levels.
While mild hypokalemia usually has no symptoms, moderate hypokalemia symptoms might include constipation, muscle weakness, cramps during exercise, thirst, fatigue, and/or leg discomfort. Since severe symptoms are dangerous, it is important to talk to your doctor if you think you may have low potassium levels. You can replace potassium lost during heavy exercise by drinking sports drinks that contain electrolytes.
Potassium-rich foods include sweet potatoes and baked potatoes, as well as tomato paste, tomato juice and tomato sauce. Beans, soybeans, lentils, yogurt and low-fat milk, tuna, halibut, rockfish, cod, bananas, peaches, prunes, apricots, cantaloupe, and spinach are also high in potassium. A healthy diet will include these foods and the need for supplements will not be necessary.
My thought is this: If cola could potentially have this effect on a review of people in Greece, I wonder what significance it could have in PD patients who are already susceptible to leg cramps, restless leg syndrome, other muscular aches and pains. It may be worth cutting out the soda habit for a month or so and replacing it with bananas, high in potassium, and see if the muscle fatigue and pain decrease. Might be worth a shot.
Journeying with you,
Sherri
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Thanks Rick for the great info!!!
I came across this post today and, although a year has gone by, would like to comment on a related aspect. There is a family of disorders that are called “periodic paralyses”. Most are inherited but one results from a hyperactive thyroid and results in ten times the numbers affected of all the others. Since thyroid problems can be so hard to spot even without PD, we had best be aware of them.
The red flag is episodes of weakness to the point of flaccidity in the legs. This is not a symptom of PD (normally characterized by rigidity). But the two can and do co-exist and interact. For example, in my own case, “attacks” are triggered by, among other things, the wearing off of my PD meds. I have recently come to realize that for a minimum of five years I have assumed that it was all part of going “off” due to the timing.
A check of the data on Patients Like Me showed that 2400 people list “stiffness/rigidity” as a symptom and only 50 or so list “leg weakness”. However, a loose count at NeuroTalk came up with about five out of 100. Since the latter group has more advanced members, this may mean that this problem becomes more common with time.
A good place for info http://www.hkpp.org/faq/thyrotoxic_periodic_paralysis.html
And a personal recount of a typical day for me written before this piece of the puzzle fell into place an be found at http://www.parkinsonsonline.org/ParkipediA/index.php?title=One_Patient%27s_View_of_PD
I have long thought that the endocrine system plays amuch larger role in our journey than commonly accepted.
-Rick
Very good article. When I was dx with PD I was working nights at the hospital (12hrs. 7p-7a) and drinking diet cola all night long. That is too much caffeine and also aspartame that I had no idea what effect that could have on a body. Don’t touch the stuff anymore! I do drink a regular cola from time to time when eating out but we no longer keep pop in the house. parkiejan