Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Caffeine and the calcium economy revisited

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Osteoporosis International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report an analysis of data from 560 calcium balance studies carried out on 190 women aged 34.8–69.3 years at the time of study. The main purposes were to confirm a previously observed association between caffeine intake and calcium balance, and to attribute the association, if possible, to specific component(s) of balance. We found a caffeine relationship such that for every 6 fl oz (177.5 ml) serving of caffeine-containing coffee, calcium balance was more negative by 0.114 mmol/day (4.6 mg/day) (P<0.001). The relationship was localized to the input side of the balance equation, and both of its components (i.e. calcium intake and calcium absorption efficiency) were independently and inversely associated with caffeine intake. There was no evidence that the putative caffeine effect is confined to, or is greater among, subjects with low calcium intakes or those who are older or estrogen-deprived. The magnitude of the negative effect of caffeine on calcium balance suggests that it can be offset by increasing calcium intake by about 1 mmol (40 mg) for every 177.5 ml serving of caffeine-containing coffee.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Heaney RP, Recker RR. Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus, and caffeine on calcium balance in women. J Lab Clin Med 1982;99:46–55.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barrett-Connor E. Nutrition epidemiology: how do we know what they ate? Am J Clin Nutr 1991;54:S182–7.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Heaney RP. Assessment and consistency of calcium intake. In: Burckhardt P, Heaney RP, editors. Nutritional aspects of osteoporosis. Serono Symposia vol 85. New York: Raven Press, 1991:99–104.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cooper C, Atkinson EJ, Wahner HW, O'Fallon WM, Riggs BL, Judd HL, Melton LJ. Is caffeine consumption a risk factor for osteoporosis? J Bone Miner Res 1992;7:465–71.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Krall EA, Dawson-Hughes B. Smoking and bone loss among postmenopausal women. J Bone Miner Res 1991;6:331–7.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Slemenda CW, Christian JC, Reed T, Reister TK, Williams CJ, Johnston CC. Long-term bone loss in men: effects of genetic and environmental factors. Ann Intern Med 1992;117:286–91.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Laitinen K, Välimäki M. Alcohol and bone. Calcif Tissue Int 1991;49:S70–3.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Massey LK. Caffeine and bone: directions for research. J Bone Miner Res 1991;6:1149–51.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Massey LK, Wise KJ. The effect of dietary caffeine on urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium in healthy young females. Nutr Res 1984;4:43–50.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bergman EA, Massey LK, Wise KJ, Sherrard DJ. Effects of dietary caffeine on renal handling of minerals in adult women. Life Sci 1990;47:557–64.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Barger-Lux MJ, Heaney RP, Stegman MR. Effects of moderate caffeine intake on the calcium economy of premenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;52:722–5.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Massey LK, Whiting SJ. Caffeine, urinary calcium, calcium metabolism and bone. J Nutr 1993;123:1611–4.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Barrett-Connor E, Chang JC, Edelstein SL. Coffee-associated osteoporosis offset by daily milk consumption: the Rancho Bernardo Study. JAMA 1994;271:280–3.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Heaney RP, Recker RR, Saville PD. Calcium balance and calcium requirements in middle-aged women. Am J Clin Nutr 1977;30:1603–11.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Heaney RP, Skillman TG. Secretion and excretion of calcium by the human gastrointestinal tract. J Lab Clin Med 1964;64:29–41.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bowes AD, Pennington JAT. Food values of portions commonly used, 15th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Heaney RP, Saville PD, Recker RR. Calcium absorption as a function of calcium intake. J Lab Clin Med 1975;85:881–90.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Heaney RP, Recker RR, Saville PD. Menopausal changes in calcium balance performance. J Lab Clin Med 1978;92:953–63.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Heaney RP, Recker RR. Determinants of endogenous fecal calcium in healthy women. J Bone Miner Res 1994 (in press).

  20. Heaney RP, Recker RR, Stegman MR, Moy AJ. Calcium absorption in women: relationships to calcium intake, estrogen status, and age. J Bone Miner Research 1989;4:469–75.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Passmore AP, Kondowe GB, Johnston GD. Renal and cardiovascular effects of caffeine: a dose-response study. Clin Sci 1987;72:749–56.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Nussberger J, Mooser V, Maridor G, Juillerat L, Waeber B, Brunner HR. Caffeine-induced diuresis and atrial natriuretic peptides. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1990;15:685–91.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Nordin BEC, Need AG, Morris HA, Horowitz M. Sodium, calcium, and osteoporosis. In: Burckhardt P, Heaney RP, editors. Nutritional aspects of osteoporosis. Serono Symposia vol 85. New York: Raven Press, 1991:279–95.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Nordin BEC, Need AG, Morris HA, Horowitz M. The nature and significance of the relationship between urinary sodium and urinary calcium in women. J Nutr 1993;123:1615–22.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Bergman EA, Massey LK, Wise KJ, Sherrard DJ. Effects of dietary caffeine on renal handling of minerals in adult women. Life Sci 1990;47:557–64.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Massey LK, Wise JK. The effect of dietary caffeine on urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium in healthy young females. Nutr Res 1984;4:43–50.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Heaney RP. En recherche de la différence (P<0.05). Bone Miner 1986;1:99–114.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hasling C, Søndergaard K, Charles P, Mosekilde L. Calcium metabolism in postmenopausal osteoporotic women is determined by dietary calcium and coffee intake. J Nutr 1992;122:1119–26.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Taft JL, French M, Danks JA, Larkins RG. Opposing action actions of methylxanthines and dibutyryl cyclic AMP on 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 production and calcium fluxes in isolated chick renal tubules. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1984;121:355–63.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Heaney RP. Protein intake and the calcium economy. J Am Dietetic Assoc 1993;93:1259–60.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Nordin BEC, Polley KJ, Need AG, Morris HA, Marchall D. The problem of calcium requirement. Am J Clin Nutr 1987;45:1295–304.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center, 601 North 30th Street, Suite 5766, 68131, Omaha, NE, USA

    M. J. Barger-Lux & R. P. Heaney

Authors
  1. M. J. Barger-Lux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. P. Heaney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barger-Lux, M.J., Heaney, R.P. Caffeine and the calcium economy revisited. Osteoporosis Int 5, 97–102 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01623310

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01623310

Keywords

Search

Navigation