"Four Bottles a Day Instead of Water"... Woman in Her 30s Who Drank Cola for 15 Years Lost Her Teeth and Looked Like a 'Woman in Her 60s' [Health Talk]

[Financial News] A woman in her 30s who had been drinking cola every day instead of water for 15 years has reportedly lost many of her teeth and suffered severe premature aging, including diabetes and early menopause, raising fresh concern about excessive soda consumption.
According to foreign media reports, a 35-year-old woman identified as A, who lives in Henan Province, China, drank four to five small bottles of cola every day like water for 15 years. When she went to the hospital, she was in her mid-30s, but her face had deep wrinkles, most of her teeth had fallen out, and she was suffering from a cluster of metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, early menopause, and chronic constipation. Her physical condition had deteriorated to the point that she looked like a woman in her 60s.

A typical 500 mL bottle of sweetened soda contains about 50 grams of added sugar, meaning that just one bottle can quickly reach the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommended daily limit for sugar intake, which is less than 5 to 10 percent of total calories.
High-fructose corn syrup, which is widely used in beverage manufacturing, interferes with the brain's release of hormones that signal fullness, encouraging overeating. It also goes straight to the liver, sharply raising the risk of fatty liver disease and higher triglyceride levels.
When soda is consumed in excess, warning signs appear throughout the body. Repeated blood sugar spikes can exhaust pancreatic function and lead to insulin resistance, which in turn can cause type 2 diabetes and early symptoms such as extreme thirst, frequent urination, and chronic fatigue. Oral health also takes a direct hit. The drink's strong acidity and sugar erode tooth enamel and promote harmful bacteria in the mouth, leading to gum inflammation, cavities, and even premature tooth loss.
The risks of hormonal and digestive disorders cannot be ruled out either. Metabolic imbalances and chronic inflammation can trigger hormonal disruption, damage skin elasticity, and in women, lead to ovulation problems or early menopause. In addition, the balance of beneficial gut bacteria can be disrupted, causing chronic constipation. Some studies also suggest that long-term consumption may more than double the risk of early-onset colorectal cancer.

Specialists say that even sugar-free or zero-calorie products can keep the brain dependent on sweetness and may still erode teeth because of their acidity. They stress that people need to change their drinking habits at the root.
To break free from soda addiction, experts recommend making plain water, such as bottled water or barley tea, the standard way to quench thirst and drinking 1.5 to 2 liters a day on a regular basis. If quitting the fizzy sensation all at once is difficult, people can gradually cut back by using alternatives such as plain sparkling water with lemon juice, as long as no added sugar is involved.
Because thirst is often mistaken for a craving for sugar, it also helps to drink a glass of water slowly and wait about 10 minutes whenever you feel like having a soft drink. If you do drink soda, rinse your mouth with water right away to reduce acidity, and brush your teeth about 30 minutes later to prevent enamel wear.
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