Clipping Board » Eat Healthily ─ Introduction to healthy eating, medicinal cuisine, and health supplements
Dr. Chen Sheng-Li, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital
As times progress, the proportion of working women has increased. During busy times, it is often necessary to stay alert, and coffee becomes an indispensable beverage. However, while enjoying coffee, have you considered that the caffeine it contains is one of the risk factors for osteoporosis? Does drinking coffee lead to fractures?
Caffeine has long been considered one of the risk factors for osteoporosis. In daily life, beverages such as coffee, tea, cola, certain foods, or medications contain caffeine. It is a mild diuretic that increases the excretion of sodium and water in the kidneys, thus having a slight diuretic effect. A 1982 report indicated that caffeine increases the excretion of calcium in urine and promotes calcium secretion in the small intestine, with these effects being proportional to the amount of caffeine consumed. Based on this experimental result, one might speculate that the more coffee one drinks, the more calcium is lost, and the more likely one is to develop osteoporosis. But is this really the case? We can find out from subsequent clinical trial results.
Due to its central nervous system stimulant effects, caffeine is often used to stay awake. However, after prolonged consumption, the alertness effect diminishes, and more coffee is needed to achieve the previous level of alertness. This is because the body adapts to the central nervous system stimulant effects of caffeine. However, the previously mentioned effects of caffeine on increasing calcium excretion in urine and promoting calcium secretion in the small intestine do not diminish with prolonged coffee consumption. This means that no matter how much coffee is consumed, calcium loss will still occur. This is the physiological perspective on caffeine's impact on calcium in the body. But from a clinical standpoint, is there any observed reduction in bone density or increased risk of fractures due to coffee consumption?
Although physiologically, caffeine does increase calcium loss, what is the relationship between caffeine intake and bone density or fractures from a clinical perspective? Epidemiological data show that for women aged 20-50, caffeine intake is not related to bone loss or fractures. In other words, whether young women consume coffee or other caffeine-containing foods does not affect bone density or fracture incidence. However, some researchers have observed a positive correlation between caffeine intake and the risk of hip fractures in women aged 34-59. Therefore, clinical trial results are inconsistent.
Older women, however, show different results compared to younger women. More than half of the epidemiological data indicate that caffeine intake is related to bone density in women over fifty, especially in the distal radius and ulna (bones of the arm), where bone density significantly decreases with caffeine intake. A recent study even found that while caffeine-containing foods improve bone mineral content in young women, they reduce bone mineral concentration in women aged 70-80.
Although most data suggest that coffee consumption in young women seems unrelated to osteoporosis, researchers have also found that calcium intake (such as drinking milk, eating legumes, or taking calcium supplements) is generally sufficient in young women. This means that with adequate calcium intake, consuming up to 400mg of caffeine daily should not affect bone density. In contrast, older women are more likely to drink more than four cups of coffee daily and are more prone to smoking, factors that can affect bone density. Therefore, to prevent osteoporosis, older women should reduce caffeine intake, quit smoking, and increase calcium supplementation.How many cups of coffee per day can easily lead to osteoporosis? A study involving 3,170 women with an average age of 50-84 found that consuming more than two units of caffeine per day (one unit equals one cup of coffee or two cups of tea) increased the risk of hip fracture by 69%. Therefore, women over 50 should try to reduce their caffeine intake, and if they want to drink coffee, it is best not to exceed two cups per day.
Since clinical trials have not yielded consistent results to confirm whether caffeine causes osteoporosis or increases the risk of fractures, caffeine is currently listed as one of the risk factors for osteoporosis rather than a direct cause.
In fact, women of all ages should pay attention to their calcium intake and avoid excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages. The Department of Food Safety under the Ministry of Health points out that the new version of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Taiwanese differs from the old version published in 1993, particularly in significantly increasing the recommended daily calcium intake for adults to 1 gram due to insufficient calcium intake among the population. For older women (over 50), it is best not to consume more than 2 cups of coffee or 4 cups of tea per day to reduce the degree of osteoporosis and lower the rate of hip fractures. Postmenopausal women, due to hormonal changes, are more prone to osteoporosis than men and should pay extra attention to calcium intake. The recommended daily calcium intake for postmenopausal women is 1.5 grams if not combined with hormone replacement therapy, and 1 gram if hormone replacement therapy is used.
Currently, the daily calcium intake from diet is generally insufficient for the Taiwanese population. Therefore, it is important to consume more calcium-rich foods such as dairy products (milk, cheese), fish (sardines, salmon), vegetables (fresh radishes, leafy greens, kale), or take calcium supplements. There are many types of calcium supplements to choose from, with calcium phosphate being the most suitable for the human body's calcium-phosphorus ratio and without the bloating side effects of calcium carbonate. However, it is not suitable for patients with kidney failure. When choosing calcium supplements, one can also opt for those with added vitamin D, as calcium is not easily absorbed in the intestines, and vitamin D can enhance calcium absorption.
Source: http://homepage. vghtpe. gov. tw/ ~obgy/ hygieneA_12. htm
Does Coffee Cause Osteoporosis?
As times progress, the proportion of working women has increased. During busy times, it is often necessary to stay alert, and coffee becomes an indispensable beverage. However, while enjoying coffee, have you considered that the caffeine it contains is one of the risk factors for osteoporosis? Does drinking coffee lead to fractures?
Caffeine has long been considered one of the risk factors for osteoporosis. In daily life, beverages such as coffee, tea, cola, certain foods, or medications contain caffeine. It is a mild diuretic that increases the excretion of sodium and water in the kidneys, thus having a slight diuretic effect. A 1982 report indicated that caffeine increases the excretion of calcium in urine and promotes calcium secretion in the small intestine, with these effects being proportional to the amount of caffeine consumed. Based on this experimental result, one might speculate that the more coffee one drinks, the more calcium is lost, and the more likely one is to develop osteoporosis. But is this really the case? We can find out from subsequent clinical trial results.
Due to its central nervous system stimulant effects, caffeine is often used to stay awake. However, after prolonged consumption, the alertness effect diminishes, and more coffee is needed to achieve the previous level of alertness. This is because the body adapts to the central nervous system stimulant effects of caffeine. However, the previously mentioned effects of caffeine on increasing calcium excretion in urine and promoting calcium secretion in the small intestine do not diminish with prolonged coffee consumption. This means that no matter how much coffee is consumed, calcium loss will still occur. This is the physiological perspective on caffeine's impact on calcium in the body. But from a clinical standpoint, is there any observed reduction in bone density or increased risk of fractures due to coffee consumption?
Although physiologically, caffeine does increase calcium loss, what is the relationship between caffeine intake and bone density or fractures from a clinical perspective? Epidemiological data show that for women aged 20-50, caffeine intake is not related to bone loss or fractures. In other words, whether young women consume coffee or other caffeine-containing foods does not affect bone density or fracture incidence. However, some researchers have observed a positive correlation between caffeine intake and the risk of hip fractures in women aged 34-59. Therefore, clinical trial results are inconsistent.
Older women, however, show different results compared to younger women. More than half of the epidemiological data indicate that caffeine intake is related to bone density in women over fifty, especially in the distal radius and ulna (bones of the arm), where bone density significantly decreases with caffeine intake. A recent study even found that while caffeine-containing foods improve bone mineral content in young women, they reduce bone mineral concentration in women aged 70-80.
Although most data suggest that coffee consumption in young women seems unrelated to osteoporosis, researchers have also found that calcium intake (such as drinking milk, eating legumes, or taking calcium supplements) is generally sufficient in young women. This means that with adequate calcium intake, consuming up to 400mg of caffeine daily should not affect bone density. In contrast, older women are more likely to drink more than four cups of coffee daily and are more prone to smoking, factors that can affect bone density. Therefore, to prevent osteoporosis, older women should reduce caffeine intake, quit smoking, and increase calcium supplementation.How many cups of coffee per day can easily lead to osteoporosis? A study involving 3,170 women with an average age of 50-84 found that consuming more than two units of caffeine per day (one unit equals one cup of coffee or two cups of tea) increased the risk of hip fracture by 69%. Therefore, women over 50 should try to reduce their caffeine intake, and if they want to drink coffee, it is best not to exceed two cups per day.
Since clinical trials have not yielded consistent results to confirm whether caffeine causes osteoporosis or increases the risk of fractures, caffeine is currently listed as one of the risk factors for osteoporosis rather than a direct cause.
In fact, women of all ages should pay attention to their calcium intake and avoid excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages. The Department of Food Safety under the Ministry of Health points out that the new version of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Taiwanese differs from the old version published in 1993, particularly in significantly increasing the recommended daily calcium intake for adults to 1 gram due to insufficient calcium intake among the population. For older women (over 50), it is best not to consume more than 2 cups of coffee or 4 cups of tea per day to reduce the degree of osteoporosis and lower the rate of hip fractures. Postmenopausal women, due to hormonal changes, are more prone to osteoporosis than men and should pay extra attention to calcium intake. The recommended daily calcium intake for postmenopausal women is 1.5 grams if not combined with hormone replacement therapy, and 1 gram if hormone replacement therapy is used.
Currently, the daily calcium intake from diet is generally insufficient for the Taiwanese population. Therefore, it is important to consume more calcium-rich foods such as dairy products (milk, cheese), fish (sardines, salmon), vegetables (fresh radishes, leafy greens, kale), or take calcium supplements. There are many types of calcium supplements to choose from, with calcium phosphate being the most suitable for the human body's calcium-phosphorus ratio and without the bloating side effects of calcium carbonate. However, it is not suitable for patients with kidney failure. When choosing calcium supplements, one can also opt for those with added vitamin D, as calcium is not easily absorbed in the intestines, and vitamin D can enhance calcium absorption.
Source: http://homepage. vghtpe. gov. tw/ ~obgy/ hygieneA_12. htm