Carbonated Water Side Effects: Is Sparkling Water Bad for You?

Last updated: 4 October 2026. Every study on this page was opened and re-checked that day.

What are the real carbonated water side effects? You have probably heard that sparkling water damages your teeth, weakens your bones, or hurts your kidneys. These claims show up in health blogs, family WhatsApp groups, and even some doctor forums. But what does the actual science say?

We read the actual study behind every common concern, and we link each one below. Most fears about carbonated water are myths. A few are real but minor. Here is the honest breakdown.

What Is Carbonated Water (Carbonated Water Kya Hota Hai)?

So what are the side effects, or nuksan, of carbonated water? In short, for plain carbonated water:

• Gas and bloating: real, and the most common side effect.
• Reflux: some people with acid reflux feel worse, though a review found no direct proof that fizzy drinks cause it.
• Teeth: very low risk for plain fizzy water; flavoured fizzy water is a different story.
• Bones and kidneys: the scare comes from cola and sugary soda, not plain fizzy water.

Each point is explained below with the study behind it.

Does Sparkling Water Damage Your Teeth?

When CO2 dissolves in water, it forms carbonic acid. This is a weak acid. In a 2016 US test of 379 drinks (Reddy and team, 2016), Perrier measured pH 5.25, San Pellegrino 4.96 and Canada Dry club soda 5.24. Coca-Cola measured 2.37, Pepsi 2.39 and orange juice about 3.8. The study called drinks with a pH of 4.0 or more "minimally erosive".

The "100 times" figure comes from a 2001 lab study (Parry and team). It tested pulled human teeth and tooth mineral powder, not people. Sparkling mineral waters were only a little more erosive than still water. They were about 100 times less erosive than soft drinks. Taking the gas out lowered the effect, but it was low either way. The minerals in the water, mainly calcium, helped protect the teeth. Home-made soda water from RO or filtered water has few minerals, so it may not get that same help. Drink it with meals rather than sipping it all day.

The real risk: Flavoured sparkling water with added citric acid or sugar. A 2007 lab study of flavoured sparkling waters sold in the UK (Brown and team) found a pH of 2.74 to 3.34. All of them were as erosive as pure orange juice, or more. They can wear enamel over time if you drink them all day. Stick to plain carbonated water for daily use.

pH values: Reddy and team, 2016 (US drinks) and Brown and team, 2007 (UK flavoured fizzy waters). Plain water pH is about 7, but tap water varies.

Does Carbonated Water Cause Bone Loss?

Cola contains caffeine and phosphoric acid, and the researchers suspected these two (Tucker and team, 2006). But the study only found a link, not a cause. It did not prove that phosphoric acid was the reason, and men showed no link at all. People then assumed all fizzy drinks harm bones. The study does not show that. Plain sparkling water has no phosphoric acid and no caffeine.

Some bottled mineral sparkling waters also contain calcium and magnesium. The label shows how much. If you still want to enjoy sparkling drinks, our virgin mojito recipe is a refreshing way to use soda water. Prefer still water? Our detox water benefits backed by science guide is a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks.

Bottom line: If you drink plain sparkling water instead of cola, you drop the one fizzy drink that study linked to lower bone density.

Does Sparkling Water Cause Bloating and Gas?

When you drink carbonated water, the CO2 bubbles enter your stomach. Your body needs to release this gas — through burping or passing it through your digestive system. For most people, this is minor. But for some, especially those with sensitive stomachs or IBS, it can cause real discomfort. The US health body NIDDK lists fizzy drinks as a cause of swallowed air and gas.

Fizzy water is not bad for every stomach, though. In a small 2002 trial in Italy (Cuomo and team), 21 people with indigestion and constipation drank either carbonated water or tap water for about 15 days. The carbonated water group had less indigestion and less constipation. The tap water group did not change. It was a small trial, so treat it as a hint, not proof.

Tips to reduce bloating:

• Drink slowly. Chugging sparkling water puts more gas in your stomach at once. NIDDK lists drinking too fast as a cause of swallowed air.
• Do not use a straw. NIDDK advice for gas includes avoiding drinking with a straw.
• Limit to 2-3 glasses per day if you are prone to bloating. This is a simple starting point, not a medical limit.
• Try it less chilled. Some people find very cold fizzy water harder on the stomach. This is a personal test; we found no study on it.

Is Sparkling Water Bad for Acid Reflux or GERD?

That review was a systematic review (Johnson and team, 2010). Fizzy drinks caused a very short drop in food-pipe pH and a short drop in valve pressure. They did not consistently cause reflux symptoms. There was no evidence that they damage the food pipe. Note that it covered fizzy drinks in general, mostly sodas, not plain sparkling water alone.

The safe approach: if you do not have reflux, sparkling water is fine. If you do have reflux, test it. Drink one glass and wait 30 minutes. If your symptoms stay the same, you can keep drinking it. If they get worse, switch to plain water during reflux flare-ups.

Does Carbonated Water Affect Your Kidneys?

Kidney stones form when you are dehydrated and minerals concentrate in your urine. Drinking more fluid — any fluid — dilutes these minerals and reduces stone risk. Plain carbonated water counts just as much as still water for this purpose.

The concern about kidneys comes from sugary sodas, not sparkling water. A 2013 study followed 194,095 US adults for more than 8 years (Ferraro and team). People who drank the most sugar-sweetened cola had a 23% higher stone risk. For sugar-sweetened non-cola soda it was 33%. Plain carbonated water has zero sugar. One caution: some bottled club sodas add sodium bicarbonate. The NIDDK kidney stone diet page lists it as hidden sodium to check on labels.

What Is the Honest Summary — Myth vs Fact?

For a deeper look at the positive side, read our article on soda water benefits. For the full benefits breakdown, see our sparkling water benefits guide. Not sure how club soda, soda water and sparkling water differ? Read our club soda vs soda water vs sparkling water guide.

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