From Tom Sissons
The fundamental biology in Archie Julien’s letter about kidney damage is flawed (3 May, p 24). Kidneys do not have to “filter out” additional substances such as phosphoric acid and sulphites. They merely filter in substances that are needed such as water, minerals and glucose. So people drinking soda pop are not in fact putting any extra strain on their kidneys at all.
The fact that Julien knew someone who drank lots of soda pop and died of kidney failure seems to have little or no relevance to the argument in hand. There has been no causal link proven between the two factors of kidney failure and soda pop drinking.
Anecdotal evidence is no evidence at all.
Bowdon Vale, Cheshire, UK
