Experts, in a new study, said that too much coffee can weaken bones because it has subtle but measurable effects on bone health.
They suggested that while moderate coffee consumption appears largely neutral, tea consumption was associated with small differences in bone density that could matter over time.
The decade-long study, which followed nearly 10,000 older women, said daily beverage choices can subtly influence bone health.
Researchers at Flinders University investigated whether everyday drinks such as coffee and tea could play a role in bone health among older women.
The study, published in the journal Nutrients, followed nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older for 10 years to determine whether regular coffee or tea consumption was associated with changes in bone mineral density (BMD), an important measure used to assess the risk of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis, a serious public health problem, affects approximately one in three women over 50 years of age. It contributes to millions of fractures worldwide each year.
Previous research has produced inconsistent results and long-term studies examining these links have been limited.
To address this gap, Flinders University researchers analyzed data from the Osteoporotic Fracture Study. Their analysis included repeated assessments of beverage intake along with BMD measurements at the hip and femoral neck, two regions closely related to fracture risk.
During the 10 years of the study, participants periodically reported how much coffee and tea they drank. At the same time, researchers used advanced imaging methods to track changes in bone density over time.