While some of us cannot survive without at least 2-3 cups of coffee per day, others only enjoy the beverage on certain occasions, such as spending time with their friends or snuggling up with a blanket while browsing through celebrity Snapchats.
And while there are a plethora of benefits one can get from coffee, some people believe that this drink can negatively influence our health. One of the biggest myths related to coffee is that it’s actually bad for you bones – however, after doing some research, we found out that the truth has nothing to do with that statement.
Science Doesn’t Lie
Despite the fact that the titular question is mostly a myth, there have been some observational studies in the past that implied an increased intake of coffee might be linked to a higher risk of bone fracture. However, the director of the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University in Omaha spoke recently and removed all doubt.
Dr. Robert R. Decker states that this isn’t something anyone should worry about as there’s no concrete evidence that can support the theory behind linking fracture increase to coffee. He’s backed up by a multitude of studies from various countries that included quite a lot of subjects.
For example, one Swedish study followed nearly 65,000 women for about 20 years. Its results, published in 2013, found that a slight reduction in bone density may appear in females who consume 4 and more cups of coffee per day. No link to an increased risk of fracture was found, however.
What’s the Catch?
This myth originates from the fact that the more coffee you consume, the more calcium you’ll lose through urine. And while this is actually true, it’s still nothing to be alarmed about.
Dr. Connie M. Weaver, professor of nutrition at Purdue University explains that people who lose calcium via urination tend to absorb more calcium from whatever sources they consume. This leads to the following conclusion: those who are losing calcium whenever they go to the bathroom shouldn’t blame coffee, but they should make sure that they intake enough of this alkaline metal in the first place.
Bad for Bones? No. Good for Something? Oh, Yes.
Now that we’ve unveiled the mystery behind the connection coffee has with our bones, let’s take a quick look into some of the more beneficial effects this globally popular beverage can have on our bodies.
As everybody knows, coffee is one of the best wake-up drinks you can possibly consume. Its high concentration of caffeine works wonders for your blood pressure and adrenaline levels when you’re feeling tired, while it also impacts your brain in a way that provides you with concentration, focus and energy.
If we look a bit deeper, we’ll see that coffee also helps protect us from liver cirrhosis, Type 2 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and more. As far as psychological factors go, coffee has been proven to help with depression and suicidal behavior.
About the author:
Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.
