The new research finds that excess caffeine may be linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Investigating the effects of coffee on how the kidneys regulate calcium in the body, researchers found that high doses of caffeine (800 mg) consumed over a six-hour period almost doubled the amount of calcium lost in the urine.
This is the first study to report the impact of high-dose, short-term caffeine intake on renal clearance of calcium, sodium, and creatinine in healthy adults.
Caffeine is one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world, with 80 per cent of adults consuming at least one caffeinated beverage per day.
But while coffee has its perks, it's also important to acknowledge its fallbacks – one of them being how our kidneys handle calcium.
“Our research found that people who consume 800 mg of caffeine over a typical working day will have a 77 per cent increase in calcium in their urine, creating a potential deficiency that could impact their bones."says Dr Hayley Schultz, UniSA
People at risk could include teenagers who binge-consume energy drinks are at are at risk because their bones are still developing; professional athletes who use caffeine for performance enhancement; as well as post-menopausal women who often have low blood calcium levels due to hormonal changes and lack sufficient daily dietary calcium intake.
Caffeine in moderation certainly has its pros. But understanding how excess consumption could increase the risks of a highly preventable disease such as osteoporosis, is important.
source : news-medical.net
Leave comment