Tea protects, coffee destroys? New study reveals stark bone-density divide for older women

Certain beverage habits may influence the bone health of older women, with effects varying depending on consumption levels and other lifestyle factors, new research suggests.

Very heavy coffee consumption — more than five cups a day — was associated with lower bone density, particularly among older women who also reported higher lifetime alcohol use, a known factor in fracture risk, according to a decade-long study from Flinders University in Australia. 

Tea drinkers, meanwhile, showed a small but consistent difference in hip bone density, with modest support for bone health over time, the researchers said.

“Even small improvements in bone density can translate into fewer fractures across large groups,” Enwu Liu, adjunct associate professor and one of the study’s authors, said in the university’s news release.

Researchers looked at the beverage-drinking habits of nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older and also examined long-term changes in bone mineral density — a key measure in assessing osteoporosis risk. Women who drank tea showed slightly higher hip bone density than those who skipped it, according to the news release. 

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Liu said the measured difference of about 0.003 g/cm² at the hip represents about a one-year slowing of age-related bone loss among tea drinkers, compared with non-drinkers.

He noted that many common teas — including black, green, oolong and decaf — are rich in flavonoids and catechins, natural compounds also found in produce and dark chocolate that have been tied to bone-supporting benefits.But the choice of tea and how it’s prepared matters.

For tea consumption, “it is preferable to choose unsweetened varieties without added sugar,” Liu said. Moderate coffee consumption did not harm bone health, researchers found — but that changed dramatically at very high levels of drinking it.

Women who reported drinking more than five cups of coffee a day showed significantly lower hip bone density, with the effect more pronounced among those who also consumed more alcohol over their lifetimes.Researchers observed that women who consumed very high amounts of coffee and had greater lifetime alcohol use tended to have lower bone density, though the study did not establish whether the factors interacted or simply coexisted.

“Tea consumption may be a healthy beverage choice for older women” and could provide a small supportive benefit, Liu said — but that should be viewed as complementary, not a standalone strategy for preventing osteoporosis.
 

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