A Quantitative Synthesis to Assess the Influence of Carbonated Beverage Consumption on the Occurrence of Abnormally Low Calcium Levels in the Bloodstream

This research looks into how drinking carbonated beverages (CB) relates to hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia is a condition where people have low calcium levels in their blood, which can be serious to a healthy life. We reviewed past studies using databases such as Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar to capture older articles, screening up to April 2023 for relevant publications. Out of 198 articles identified, after closely examining titles and abstracts, 25 were deemed relevant. In the end, we included six studies in our detailed analysis. To understand the data, we calculated pooled relative risks (RRs) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random effects model. This helped us deal with differences in results across the studies. We assessed variability using the I² statistic. The analysis revealed a moderate association between higher CB consumption and an increased risk of hypocalcemia, with a pooled RR of 1.34 (95% CI: 0.93–1.92). Variability across studies was moderate (I² = 51.46%). These findings suggest that regular consumption of carbonated beverages may moderately increase the risk of developing hypocalcemia. Clinically, this underscores the importance of reducing CB intake to prevent potential adverse effects on calcium metabolism and overall bone health.