Coke, soda, pop, soda-pop, whatever term you prefer, it can be found in the refrigerator of almost any American home. It seems like there are always new studies coming out linking the consumption of soda to obesity and even cancer, but the debate over its health effects rages on. 

    Researchers at the Cancer Control Program at Georgetown University Medical Center claim to have found a link between soft drinks and pancreatic cancer.

''People who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87% increased risk -- or nearly twice the risk -- of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals consuming no soft drinks," study lead author Noel T. Mueller said. The beverage industry claims that the study was flawed and points out other research that has found no connection between cancer and soda consumption.

    According to the National Soft Drink Association, the average American will consume over six hundred 12 ounce servings of soda every year, thanks to the billions of dollars that soft drink companies spend on advertising. A study done by the Lancet Medical Journal found that the consumption of soft drinks did in fact lead to increased body mass index and an increased chance of obesity.

    On the side of a soda can you will see a list of chemicals such as phosphoric acid, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, and potassium sorbate. Reading the list of ingredients can be a bit like trying to decipher a foreign language.

    “Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s safe, and just because it’s man-made doesn’t mean it’s bad,” chemistry teacher Tom Hunt said.

    Perhaps the most well known chemical found in soft drinks is the stimulant known as caffeine. Caffeine is the most commonly used mind-altering drug in the world, with an estimated 90 percent of Americans consuming it regularly. The effects of this drug can be both positive and negative and it greatly varies depending on the individual.

    Caffeine is known for providing a boost of energy, increased concentration, and improved memory, making it popular among students. For those who suffer from migraines, caffeine can be a remedy. The migraine medication Excedrin is mostly caffeine.

    “When I feel a migraine coming on, I go and drink a couple of Diet Cokes,” Hunt said. “Then it’s just a bad headache instead of a full blown migraine.”

    Caffeine is also highly addictive, both psychologically and physiologically. For a habitual caffeine consumer, suddenly cutting out the stimulant will result in the classic drug withdrawal symptoms: headaches, shaking, and nausea. For individuals suffering from anxiety disorders, caffeine can intensify their symptoms and increase their risk of panic attacks.

     “[Caffeine] doesn’t really affect me. If it does, I don’t realize it,” sophomore Ray Green said. “I never really stop drinking caffeine.”

    There is no clear answer to what exactly soft drinks will do to consumers, but the first step is knowing what it is you’re consuming.