Which factor is a risk for calcium deficiency?

• A. High caffeine intake
• B. Excess soda consumption
• C. Adequate Vitamin D
• D. Regular exercise

Answer: (B)

Calcium status depends on what your body does with calcium from the diet, including absorption in the gut and how much is lost in urine. Sodas, especially colas, add a lot of phosphoric acid to the mix. A higher phosphate load can interfere with calcium by forming insoluble calcium-phosphate compounds and by increasing urinary calcium excretion. If someone drinks a lot of soda instead of calcium-rich foods like dairy, the net calcium availability falls, raising the risk of deficiency. In contrast, adequate vitamin D helps calcium absorption, and regular exercise supports bone health, so these factors are protective rather than risk factors. Caffeine can modestly raise calcium excretion, but the pattern of excess soda consumption most clearly reduces calcium availability through both absorption and excretion pathways.