It's what I drink that may get me

Don't be afraid if I tell you "I have a bone to pick with you." My bones are probably not strong enough to do you much damage.

I pretty much exist on Diet Pepsi. Most of my family says the stuff will kill me. And Mom called me Tuesday to tell me I'm doomed. She found my drink of choice won't kill me, but it may crumble me.

I've long known my predisposition for osteoporosis. My maternal grandmother when she was alive and my mother now both know their bones are as delicate as antique china.

I've done my best to thwart the dreaded disease. I exercise, eat lots of cheese, yogurt and drink milk. I take daily calcium supplements. I don't drink much or often and I don't smoke. But I do drink Diet Pepsi by the 50-gallon barrelful.

The experts argue the phosphorus and caffeine in "my only vice" depletes bone mass.

I drink Diet Pepsi where most drink coffee, but the combination of the caffeine and phosphorus seems to be a critical combo in the whole bone mass game of which I'm sure to lose.

So, despite, or in spite of, my coffee-avoidance behaviors I'm not doing myself any favors.

In my exaggerated reality I see my body one day having the consistency of a well-used Stretch Armstrong.

You can pull me every which way and I won't break, bend me into any conceivable shape and I won't break. This gelatinous existence I'm bound for may very well have some benefits to it, but I'm not sure you'll want me driving behind you in traffic where I may have to slam on the brakes using something akin to an al dente spaghetti noodle.

In an hour's worth of research, I've found:

-- 12 ounces of Pepsi has 38 mg of caffeine while the amount in coffee can vary depending on how it is made between 40 to 150 mg per 5 ounces.

-- Most of our bone mass is amassed during our pubescent years and lost as we age, especially after "the change."

-- Osteoporosis can begin as early as age 11 and has implications far into our futures.

-- The increasing consumption of soda by youngsters and teens and the corresponding decrease in milk consumption, plus the added detriment of the bone loss caused by the caffeine only exacerbates things.

Coca-Cola, bless their little carbonated hearts, calls the claim that cola consumption leads to osteoporosis "rumor" and alleges there may even be a benefit.

Their Web site contains the following:

Rumor: Phosphoric acid in Coca-Cola leads to osteoporosis

Our Response: Phosphoric acid has been recognized as safe for use as a food additive by the health authorities in every country where Coca-Cola is sold.

Phosphoric acid provides phosphorus, which is an essential element of bones and tissues. The most recent research indicates that phosphorus and calcium are both needed for strong bones. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends the following lifestyle strategies: a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, weight-bearing exercise, and a healthy lifestyle without smoking or excessive alcohol use.

There is, in fact, very little phosphorus in soft drinks. Soft drinks contribute just 2 percent to the average intake of phosphorus in the U.S. diet. Most of the phosphorus in the typical diet comes from meat and cheese.

I wonder if they have talked with the tobacco companies or McDonald's lately?

It seems there really isn't anything that is good for you. Too much exercise can ruin your knees, not enough your heart. The fish in the Gold Rush Sierra can't drink the mercury laden water, so what does that say for the downstream dwellers?

I supposed you really can't beat all the odds and we should all just be content with knowing that for now, at least for a short time anyway, we're still in the game.

Kelli Du Fresne is features editor for the Nevada Appeal and isn't sure just yet what to do about her not-so-secret-soda problem