A study conducted by Flinders University has examined the effects of coffee and tea consumption on bone health in older women. The research, published in Nutrients, tracked nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and above over a ten-year period to assess whether their daily intake of these beverages was associated with changes in bone mineral density (BMD), an important measure for osteoporosis risk.
Osteoporosis affects a significant portion of the population, particularly women over 50, and leads to millions of fractures each year. With coffee and tea being widely consumed worldwide, understanding their impact on bone health is considered important.
Researchers used data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures and measured BMD at key sites such as the hip and femoral neck. Participants reported their beverage habits while researchers performed repeated bone density assessments using advanced imaging.
The findings indicated that tea drinkers had slightly higher total hip BMD compared to those who did not drink tea. Although the difference was modest, it reached statistical significance.
"Even small improvements in bone density can translate into fewer fractures across large groups," said Adjunct Associate Professor Enwu Liu from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
For coffee drinkers, moderate consumption—defined as two to three cups per day—did not show negative effects on bone health. However, consuming more than five cups daily was linked to lower BMD values.
The study also found that women with higher lifetime alcohol use experienced more pronounced negative effects from coffee consumption. In contrast, tea appeared especially beneficial for women with obesity.
Ryan Liu, co-author of the paper, explained that catechins found in tea may help promote bone formation and slow down bone breakdown.
"Coffee's caffeine content, by contrast, has been shown in laboratory studies to interfere with calcium absorption and bone metabolism, though these effects are small and can be offset by adding milk," said Ryan Liu from Flinders University.
Adjunct Associate Professor Enwu Liu noted that "the findings suggest that enjoying a cup of tea each day could be a simple way to support bone health as we age."
"While moderate coffee drinking appears safe, very high consumption may not be ideal, especially for women who drink alcohol," he added.
The authors emphasized that while differences were statistically significant, they were not large enough to require major lifestyle changes for individuals.
"Our results don't mean you need to give up coffee or start drinking tea by the gallon," said Associate Professor Liu.
"But they do suggest that moderate tea consumption could be one simple way to support bone health, and that very high coffee intake might not be ideal, especially for women who drink alcohol."
"While calcium and vitamin D remain cornerstones of bone health, what's in your cup could play a role too. For older women, enjoying a daily cup of tea may be more than a comforting ritual—it could be a small step toward stronger bones," he concluded.
