Coca-cola, baseball an unhealthy union

In 2017, Major League Baseball announced a multiyear partnership naming Coca-cola as the official soft drink of MLB.

A new study in the American Journal of Physiology shows just how harmful such endorsements are, not just to fans but for athletes . Researchers from the University of Buffalo looked at the effect of drinking a beverage with high-fructose corn syrup and caffeine on the health of someone who is working or working out in a high-temp environment. In four one-hour segments, the study’s participants worked out, took breaks and drank 16 or more ounces of the soft drink.

Participants who drank soft drinks had higher blood levels of creatinine and a lower glomerular filtration rate — markers for acute kidney injury. They also had elevated blood levels of vasopressin, which raises blood pressure, and were mildly dehydrated.

Prove you’re smarter than MLB, and say, “No way I’m fake-quenching my thirst with kidney-dinging colas.” Water will do, and maybe for extended workouts or hot weather jobs try water with electrolytes added. And grab a piece of fruit.

Stair master

In what some consider the ultimate test of endurance, the Empire State Building Run-up covers 86 flights of stairs — 1,576 steps. Winners do it in about 10 minutes! In the sport of tower running, it’s considered the most prestigious victory.

We don’t advocate running up and down the stairs in your 20-story office building (without careful training), but a recent study from Mcmasters University showed that those who work in buildings or live in apartment buildings and “vigorously climb a few flights of stairs in the morning, at lunch, and in the evening … are getting an effective workout.”

The researchers call these short runs up and down stairs fitness “snacks.” They’re a variation of interval training (regular pace, fast pace, regular pace, which you can incorporate into almost any exercise routine) that improves your cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength. It’s so handy that if you have a set of stairs around, you can use them to improve your health any time you like.

If you’re going to hike, we suggest getting some good running shoes, because going up and down stairs can be tough on ankle, knee and hip joints. Well-cushioned, supportive shoes can greatly reduce impact, and when you exercise without injury it, ensures that you’ll do it more often.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.