What harm can Orange Juice do to me?

Question

I'm on a course of medication (15 tablets a day) for my Parkinsons Disease (Diagnosed 4 years ago at age 45 Bummer!!) and therefore cannot drink alcohol. However, I am addicted to OJ and drink about 1 to 1 1/2 litres a day. I buy Sainsbury's Pure Orange Juice from concentrate. I realise that it is a very acidic drink, so can someone please tell me what damage (if any) I am doing to my insides. Thank you for your replies.

Answer 1

Lots of natural sugars in OJ.

Try a glass of water between your glass of OJ, and see if that does anything for you.

Anything in excess is bad. You need balance. A glass of OJ is great for you. Sucking it down all day long is something else.

I think the only harm that will come from it is potentially upset stomach from the acid, and potential weight gain.

Answer 2

1-1.5 litres a day of Orange Juice shouldnt do you any harm! Besides water and sugar, it is an excellent source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and potassium. It is also an important natural source of folic acid (Vitamin B9), which is recommended for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. Some producers include additional citric acid or ascorbic acid in the juice beyond what is naturally found in oranges. Some also include other nutrients such as calcium and Vitamin D, not found naturally in oranges. Citrus juices also contain flavonoids that are believed to have beneficial health effects. However, if drunk on an empty stomach, orange juice can exacerbate present gastro-intestinal conditions, and/or cause mild and temporary stomach upset. Due to the citric acid, orange juice typically has a pH of 3.5. Drinking, or sipping, orange juice over a long period of time however can potentially erode the tooth enamel. Orange juice containing pulp seems to be more nutritious than no-pulp varieties because of the flavonoids contained in the pulp

Answer 3

The acid can erode your teeth, too much vitamin c can cause bladderstones, you can get some pestocides if the concentrate is made using the whole orange rather than just the pulp, they in turn can be bad for your kidneys. These are quite longshots and I have no idea how muc OJ is required for them or if it's possible to drink that much. I would check with my doctor if I were you, just to be on the safe side.

Answer 4

OJ is acidic, so is best served watered down by half. The only real damage OJ can do is if a case of the stuff was dropped from a height onto your bonce - now that would hurt to the point of potentially fatal!

Answer 5

Have your doctor refer you to a nutritionist. Obviously a person would think OJ is good for you. But then some meds do not go well with grapefruit juice, so it is always a good to find out.
Especially since you are drinking so much of it.

Hope everything goes well for you.

edited: Doctors really do not get into the food/medicine thing..... I've worked for nutritionists before and with doctors so I kinda know this. lol They are good at what they do, but nutritionists are better at this type of thing.

Answer 6

Be careful regarding the acid on your teeth - it can wear away the enamel.
The only other problems I can think of is the high sugar lift you are giving yourself which can mess about with your insulin levels and the fact that orange juice can act like a laxative.

Answer 7

the only problem i've had with oj is the occasional heart burn. Also, alot of natural sugar, might keep you up at night, sort of like caffiene. if you're having trouble sleeping, keep away from the oj for like 3hrs before sleep time

Answer 8

there isn't anything wrong with drinking orange juice. To be on the safe side, however, if i were you, i would call my doctor's office and ask if too much juice would interfere with your medication. Good luck!

Answer 9

Don't brush your teeth straight after drinking orange juice as it will erode the enamel away

Answer 10

Orange juice contains folic acid which can help you come off the anti-depressants....it is believed. It can rot your enamel off your teeth so keep your dental appointments. It could cause you to have over acidic urine and could cause a bladder problem or sore bottom......if you are worried see your GP and check!