How much coffee is too much?: What a 10-year study of 10,000 women revealed

 

A study conducted by researchers at Flinders University in Australia found that older women who consume more than five cups of coffee a day have lower bone mineral density, whereas moderate consumption of two to three cups did not appear to have harmful effects.

The research, published in the journal "Nutrients", was based on a 10-year follow-up of nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older. The researchers analyzed their coffee and tea consumption habits and repeatedly measured bone mineral density in the women's hips and femoral necks.

 Tea consumption, for its part, was associated with slightly higher bone mineral density in the hip. Researchers note that the difference was small, though statistically significant, and could be relevant when considering large populations.

The effects associated with coffee also varied depending on other health and lifestyle factors. For instance, women with higher lifetime alcohol consumption showed more pronounced negative effects associated with coffee, whereas the potential benefits of tea were more evident among women with obesity.

 The researchers emphasize that the results should not be interpreted as a call to give up coffee, as the observed differences were modest. According to the study, calcium and vitamin D remain fundamental for bone health, whereas very high coffee consumption might not be ideal.