Looks like it's mostly a concern for the aging woman and those already afflicted with bone density issues. Here's a little piece of something I read, "As a diuretic caffeine increases the amount of calcium we excrete in our urine for several hours after we drink it."

If you're really worried about your bone density then you should completely cut the diet coke. Stuff is just terrible for you. A bunch of us have done it and I think everyone feels better (I had a lot of weird stuff going on in my body that has since completely disappeared... I doubt it's a coincidence).

Drinking coffee all day isn't a good idea for anyone. I have one in the morning and that's all the caffeine I have for the day. Just cut back slowly and eventually you won't "need" it at all. I just like having a frappuccino in the morning. Doesn't actually have anything to do with the caffeine... they're just yummy :D

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

i am reading a book about the science of food, and it says the main dietary ways you can cause your bone density to go down are lots of meat and lots of salt. it didn't mention caffeine....i don't know what the real effect of caffeine is but i think it's somewhat instructive that the book does not mention it.

side note, it sounds to me like drinking coffee all day is not "moderation"....

the book also mentions that asian people tend to have the best bone densities, and they never drink milk, but rather eat craploads of dark, leafy green vegetables. my 57 year old asian mother has the bones of a 25 year old according to her scans, and she's probably had 2 glasses of milk her whole life, if that - but eats more vegetables (in volume and variety) than 10 americans combined, so i'm sure you could try that in ways of prevention as well.

I drink coffee like water, have never drank milk (gross! even as a baby, I was allergic), eat a lot of cheese and veggies and have bones of steel.

I've mostly cut out diet soda (from a +1 Diet Pepsi fix/day), but will not cut out coffee.

Everything in moderation, especially moderation.

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I took a semester-long class on osteoporosis from one of the leading researchers/docs in the country (he has consulted for NASA on bone density in space), so here's my good little college student answer:

Alcholol has been shown to have an effect as to lower bone density, as an FYI. Phosphorous in soda is what's negative for bone density (that and you're drinkning soda instead of milk ;-)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/...anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
that should take you to a pubmed study about caffeine and bone density; according to the abstract, data is inconclusive. This particular article says no effect - other studies have shown caffeine use correlated with lower bone mineral density.

If you truly have a reason to be worried about bone density (ie, family history, have had a DEXA scan showing low bone density, history of anorexia and or amenhorrea that often has osteoporosis as a "side effect," other risk factors for osteoporosis) then probably best to cut down your caffeine intake. If you don't have any of those risk factors, you still probably don't need coffee all day but could do the "moderation" thing...

Where's CatisTriing? maybe she would have some insight.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

I wish I could say the same about my bones!!! but unfortunately I do know that I have low bone density from amenorrhea and lots of running in high school and collegiately. That being said, I am thinking of trying to cut out caffeine completely (big shocker to anyone that knows me!) I am also looking into the possibility of more aggressive treatment besides calcium supplements. Anyone familiar with the effects of fosamax? or anything else?

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Isaiah 40:31 - Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.

Do you mean that the amenorrhea was caused by the running, or the low bone density was caused by running? Because running is actually good for your bone density.

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

Running alot at a low body fat percentage causes amenorrhea which causes low bone density. Catch 22. Running generally is good for bone density until you run too much. (Especially for females!) Really a sucky situation when you think about it!

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Isaiah 40:31 - Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.

TIGERCHIk- What is your tscore from your dexa scan? Have you been able to increase it since you were diagnosed with low BD? I have started incorporating weight training and doing triathlon instead of JUST running alot, has helped reduce my injuries (stress fractures) significantly. I've heard those things about fosamax. Is there anything else that can help younger/non post menopausal women?

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Isaiah 40:31 - Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.

As a general rule, caffeine that naturally occurs (ie tea and coffee) does not seem to have detrimental effects (in moderation). partly because the antioxidants that are in there ameliorate the effects.

on the other hand, caffeine ADDED to foods (soda etc) is bad.

moderation is the key here....drinking it all day long not the best idea - particularly for an athlete as it is rather dehydrating....

the good news is that the training we all do helps bone density....

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cat
Sponsored by Suntheanine, Lycored and Celadrin
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it's funny, Gu is the first gel I have tolerated - particularly of the ones with caffeine.
Since I just had a DEXA scan, and my bone density is fantastic I am not worried - on the other hand if it mucks with blood pressure I will have to watch out....

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cat
Sponsored by Suntheanine, Lycored and Celadrin
http://www.lycored.com/web/content/library.asp http://suntheanine.com/Research.cfm http://celadrin.com/pages/studies.php

I was a total caffeine addict from age 20-34, and probably only averaged 2 servings of milk a week. My bone density is very high. I think, for me, it has more to with genetics, and having a more muscular build at a more normal %bf (18-20%). I have been training heavily for about 15 years, but have never been serious enough to try to get really skinny.
I quit caffeine a couple years ago for unrelated issues. I switched to decaf coffee (I highly advise *weaning* oneself off of coffee - don't quit cold turkey!). With decaf, you can still find really good coffee, especially if you get espresso drinks where it's a fresh shot. The main improvement from this was my quality and volume of sleep, which is incredibly important for recovery.

http://courses.washington.edu/bonephys/ophome.html
I like this site for explaining what all the numbers mean statistically (T scores and Z scores). Lots of good info here.

There is conflict on the coffee. I have osteoporosis. My dr has been pressuring me to go on meds. I have been tested for secondary causes and nothing showed up. I will not go on these meds as the side effects(and there are many) are too dangerous. One specialist wanted me to take the daily shots for 2 yrs. and then go on the biophons. The daily shots are the only drug that the FDA has put a black box on, caused bone cancer in rats. They were on a higher dose but still they had to warn everyone. Then he wanted me to go on a yearly iv of the biophon. If you have a side effect, you are stuck with it for the whole year as it is in you bones to stay. So until the docs can come up with something not so dangerous, I will continue to research every single day, take my calcium, vit d3, fish oil, strontium citrate, green tea(decaf), yogurt smoothies, lift weights, walk each day at lunch for 15-20 mins in the sun without sunscreen, and do triathlons. I will not let this drag me down. I refuse.

wow. how old are you to have been diagnosed with osteoporosis? what are the side effects of the meds that you dr is recommending? I am very borderline with my bone density and fear that I may have to look into medication in the future. But as for now, i feel like i am in the same boat, and can do nothing but make sure i take my calcium and eat yogurt!

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Isaiah 40:31 - Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.

I am 61 now. A year ago I had my bone density scan and found out I have osteo in the spine(according to the dr. serious)and osteopenia of the hips. I decided to take extra calcium, walk more during the day, do stairs at work and lift weights. A year later, my hips were getting better(we have 3 floors at work and I make sure I go up and down many times a day) but spine got worse. I went to a specialist to see if there was a secondary cause but none. I did find out I was not taking in enough cal. and I was low on Vit D. I need at least 1500 mg of cal and 1000 mg of Vit D3 a day. Between foods and supplements do not go over 2000 a day. I have cut way back on eating red meat, cut back on caffeine, walk 15-20 mins a day in sunlight with no sunscreen and read and research everything. Each year there is new information coming forward. There is a web site that has a forum for people with osteo. National Osteoporois Foundation. It is amazing how many people are out there and how many are so young! Some of the side effects are: Biophon(fosamex, actonel, boniva)aches, pains, jaw bone destruction. There are many people who can't tolerate some of these and have to switch. There is a law suit going on against the makers of Fosamex, there have been a number of women getting heart rhythm problems. You will find that this is a personal decision that you must make when the time comes for taking meds. Hopefully in time, there will be something better to take. The drug companys are always working on something new. There is a patch in clincial trials now. This sounds promising. Oh yes, one more important thing! The scan only can tell you how dense your bones are. It can not tell you how strong your bones are. Don't be scared, read, take care of your bones now. It can be reversed. Above all be proactive.

Yes, I agree, but there is no way you can tell from the scan how strong your bones actually are. That is probably why some women fracture at just a slight movement the wrong way and others go forever without a fracture. There is a new scan that is out(only 2 or 3 places have it in the US) and it is suppose to be better at proving how strong the bones are. I am hoping that we get one closer to me. The World Health Organization has come out with a tool that doctors should be using with their patients. WHO created the calculations for the dexa scan in the first place. The online tool takes into consideration many factors of your life and then if you have a femur neck score, it will calculate what your probability is for getting a fracture in the next 15 years. If it is 3% or under, there is no need for medication. The main reason they came up with this is that there are many people being over medicated when there may not be a need for it in the first place.

Interesting - thanks for the info. I'm hoping I can build enough bone mass in the next couple years that I will get it back to normal and won't even have to consider meds when I'm older.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD