Effect of tea and coffee on bone health
Consuming tea or coffee is very common among adults, be it as hot drinks or as a variety of creatively crafted cold drinks. They are in most cases consumed daily as well as multiple times per day. Starting the day with a cup of tea or coffee is a must for many of us and without it we feel like we are missing something – such is our dependence on these drinks. Though, I would not relate tea or coffee consumption to addiction, I would definitely associate it to being deeply ingrained in our culture. But, one important question to ask is, ‘ Is tea or coffee harmless to our body?’. Some research has revealed that there might be a tight connection between tea and coffee consumption and our bone health. Thus, it is essential to dig a bit deeper to understand how tea and coffee impact our body.
For the younger folks, whose body is functioning at their top level, there is no noticeable impact on the body. However, for post menopausal women and men in their fifties and above, there is some cause for concern especially if they are heavy coffee consumers. With aging, the body normally loses bone mass through the loss of calcium. Thankfully, this process occurs at a slow rate. But, it is worth noting that calcium loss can be enhanced or slowed down through dietary choices we make.
Several recent studies have pointed to two important facts
- Caffeine (present in large amount in coffee) enhances calcium loss from bones1
- Phytoestrogens present in tea might improve bone mass
Caffeine and bone mass
(coming soon)
Tea and its possible positive impact on bone mass
(coming soon)