A warm cup might be doing more for you than just bringing comfort. A decade-long study from Flinders University has revealed that while moderate coffee is safe, daily tea consumption may help protect bones and slow age-related bone loss in older women. Published in the journal Nutrients, the findings draw from one of the largest long-term investigations of how caffeine-based beverages affect bone strength, emphasizing that what we drink each day could subtly influence our skeletal health.
Osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and increases fracture risk, affects about one in three women over fifty. Given how common coffee and tea are across daily diets, researchers sought to clarify their impact on bone mineral density (BMD), a key measure of bone strength. Using data from nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older, the Flinders team tracked beverage intake patterns and repeated bone scans for ten years as part of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. The scans focused on the hip and femoral neck, the regions most prone to fractures later in life.
The results were surprisingly clear. Women who drank tea regularly had slightly higher BMD than non-tea drinkers. Though the difference was small, it was statistically significant enough to suggest a population-level benefit. “Even small improvements in bone density can mean fewer fractures across large groups,” explained Associate Professor Enwu Liu, the study’s senior author.
Coffee, however, told a more complex story. Drinking up to two or three cups a day appeared harmless, but over five cups daily was linked to lower BMD, indicating potential bone depletion with excessive intake. The negative effects were strongest among women who also consumed more alcohol, while tea’s benefits were most evident in participants with obesity—a group often at higher risk of bone fragility.
Tea’s protective edge may come from catechins, natural plant compounds that help promote bone formation and reduce breakdown. Coffee’s high caffeine content, meanwhile, can slightly reduce calcium absorption, though adding milk appears to offset this effect.
The study’s authors emphasize moderation, not restriction. “You don’t need to give up coffee or drink endless cups of tea,” says Liu. “But enjoying a daily cup of tea could be a simple, enjoyable step toward stronger bones.”
REFERENCE: Ryan Yan Liu, Enwu Liu. Longitudinal Association of Coffee and Tea Consumption with Bone Mineral Density in Older Women: A 10-Year Repeated-Measures Analysis in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Nutrients, 2025; 17 (23): 3660 DOI: 10.3390/nu17233660
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