Tea Drinkers Have Stronger Bones? What a New Study Really Reveals

Tea or coffee? According to new research published in the journal Nutrients, the answer might have a meaningful impact on your bone health.

The study found that women aged 65 or older who regularly drank tea had higher total hip bone mineral density than those who chose coffee.

The results contain some nuance worth understanding so that you can maintain the morning ritual of your choice, while still doing everything you can to keep your bones strong. We'll analyze the results so that you can put these discoveries into action.

Drinking Tea Supports Bone Health

Researchers at the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University in Australia analyzed data from a 10-year longitudinal study of women aged 65 or older to determine whether habitual tea and coffee drinkers had different bone health outcomes.

They used data from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF), a prospective cohort of 9,704 women aged 65 years or older who completed self-administered food intake questionnaires multiple times over a ten -year period. This study is notable for its long duration and repeated follow-up assessments.

Additionally, participants' femoral neck and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) were repeatedly measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The researchers adjusted the figures to account for differences in demographics, physical activity, comorbidities, and medication use.

During the ten-year follow-up, tea consumption (not including herbal tea) was positively associated with total hip BMD. That indicates that tea-drinkers had denser hip bones.

No significant overall association was observed between coffee consumption and femoral neck or total hip BMD. However, analyses found that consuming more than five cups of coffee per day may be associated with lower BMD.

The researchers also found that certain other factors influenced the impact of coffee or tea on bone density. Coffee consumption was negatively associated with femoral neck BMD in women with a history of higher alcohol intake, while tea consumption appeared particularly beneficial for those with obesity.

Synopsis

Researchers analyzed data from food intake questionnaires and bone density measurements on nearly 10,000 women 65 or older collected over the course of ten years. They found that tea drinking was associated with higher total hip bone mineral density, and drinking five or more cups of coffee per day was associated with lower BMD.

Why Tea Drinkers Have Stronger Bones, And Heavy Coffee Drinkers Have Weaker Bones

The different compounds in tea and coffee are responsible for the differing outcomes in the study. The researchers pointed to two compounds in particular: catechins in tea and caffeine in coffee.

Catechins are a polyphenol in the flavonoid family with antioxidant properties. Black and green tea are both rich in the compound. Other foods with high levels of catechins include cocoa, red wine, broad beans, black grapes, apricots, and strawberries.

Catechins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that are likely responsible for their ability to promote bone formation and slow bone resorption. Inflammation and oxidative damage both impede the bone remodeling process, creating an imbalance between bone deposition and resorption that exacerbates bone loss. The catechins in tea can help prevent bone loss, making tea a bone-protective food.

On the other hand, coffee is not necessarily bad for your bones. The study only found evidence of lower bone density in women aged 65 or older who drank five or more cups of coffee per day, particularly among those with a history of regular alcohol consumption.

In coffee, caffeine is the culprit. While a little bit of caffeine doesn't impact your bone remodeling process, excess caffeine evidently does. When you've consumed too much of the compound, it inhibits bone formation and enhances bone resorption– essentially the opposite effect of catechins. The researchers cited studies that found caffeine downregulates Vitamin D receptors in osteoblasts, impairing the vitamin's ability to stimulate bone formation.

Synopsis

Tea contains catechins, a flavonoid compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that help prevent bone loss. Drinking five or more cups of coffee a day overloads your system with caffeine, inhibiting bone formation and enhancing bone resorption.

Cozy Beverages Can Help You Build Your Bones

A daily cup of tea is more than just a comforting ritual. It provides your body with bone-protecting catechins.

Coffee drinkers need not despair. Your morning cup of joe isn't hurting your bones. Just leave it at one cup (or two!) per day to avoid the ill effects of overcaffeination. Substituting that second cup of coffee for a cup of tea is a great way to get the benefit of catechins while cutting back on your caffeine intake.

Savers should remember that coffee, black tea, and green tea are all acidifying. They should be consumed in moderation and balanced with alkalizing foods. And although black and green tea have less caffeine than coffee, they are still caffeinated.

How you take your coffee or tea also matters. Loading up your cup with milk and sugar can turn either beverage into a Trojan horse for acidifying, bone-damaging compounds. Instead of sugar, sweeten your cup with stevia or monk fruit extract powder. In addition, some commercially available tea bags are made with plastic-based materials or treated paper that can release microplastics or chemical residues when steeped in hot water, so it’s best to choose loose-leaf tea or tea bags made from unbleached paper, cotton, or other clearly labeled plastic-free materials. And instead of adding dairy, choose almond or your favorite plant-based milk.

If you choose decaffeinated coffee, look for beans processed using the Swiss Water Method, which removes caffeine using water rather than chemical solvents, resulting in a cleaner, more natural cup of coffee. If you’re a tea drinker, a squeeze of lemon in your tea provides an alkalizing balance and a bit of Vitamin C.

Synopsis

Coffee, black tea, and green tea are acidifying. Be sure to balance them with alkalizing foods. What you add in your coffee or tea also plays a big role in its health impact. Choose plant-based milk instead of dairy, and monk fruit extract powder or stevia instead of sugar.

What This Means To You

A daily cup of tea can provide bone-protecting compounds that support healthy bone mineral density, while excessive coffee consumption may work against that goal. These findings reinforce a core principle of bone health: small, informed daily choices – repeated consistently – can have a powerful long-term impact on your bones.

The Osteoporosis Reversal Program uses small daily choices to give big results. The program provides a drug-free path to preventing and reversing osteoporosis through your exercise habits, your sleep hygiene, your diet, your leisure activities, and even the cleaning and beauty products you use.

The ORP's holistic approach to bone health provides you with multiple strategies that you can add one at a time until you've transformed your habits and your bones.

You can feel good about putting the kettle on, knowing that this simple, comforting habit can also be a meaningful step toward stronger, healthier bones.

References

¹ https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/23/3660