A viral video on social media has raised alarms about the dangers of excessive soda consumption. Brazilian urologist Thales Franco de Andrade shared the shocking surgery extracting 35 bladder stones from a patient consuming up to 3 liters daily of these drinks. The case has sparked concern over this habit’s effects on kidney health.

35 Stones in the Bladder

The scene seems from an extreme medical movie, but it was real: urologist Thales Franco de Andrade from Minas Gerais (Brazil) recorded extracting 35 stones from one patient’s bladder. The video, posted on social media, exceeded eight million views, sparking waves of comments and worries about this condition’s origin.

The patient reported consuming 2-3 liters of soda daily. The doctor explained this habit caused the stones. Sodas, especially dark ones, contain phosphoric acid, high sugar amounts, and additives altering urine pH, favoring crystal formation.

“Excessive sugary drink consumption promotes formation of calcium oxalate and phosphate stones in kidneys and bladder,” warned Andrade in his post.

The body, unable to efficiently eliminate these substances, begins forming stones accumulating in the urinary system.

Sodas and Kidney Stones: A Dangerous Combination

Kidney stones, or “kidney stones”, form from crystal accumulation not properly excreted in urine. This common but painful condition worsens with constant exposure to drinks disrupting internal chemical balance.

Sodas are a main culprit here. Their high sugar and phosphoric acid content not only acidifies urine but also increases calcium and oxalate excretion, key stone elements. Plus, heavy soda drinkers often have insufficient water intake, complicating waste elimination via urine.

Dr. Andrade notes damage isn’t limited to acute pain. Stones can block urine flow, cause severe infections, and even endanger life. A serious complication is pyelonephritis, a bacterial infection affecting kidneys that can lead to sepsis if untreated.

Nephrologist Liliana Secaf from Hospital Sírio-Libanês warns pyelonephritis symptoms include high fever, intense low-back pain, foul- or bloody-smelling urine, nausea, chills, and even mental confusion in older adults.

Experts’ recommendation is clear: hydration should mainly come from water. Habitually replacing natural fluids with sodas is a mistake with potentially severe, even irreversible, consequences.

Reference:

• Você bebe muito refrigerante???? Retirada de múltiplos cálculos em paciente com consumo diário de 2 a 3 litros de Coca-Cola. Link.

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