Coffee consumption and bone health

Research on coffee’s impact on bone health has produced mixed results^2-6. Meta-analyses suggest that variations in findings may be due to differences in genetics, lifestyle, and geographic location among study populations.

• A 2023 umbrella review and meta-analysis suggested that eating a healthy diet, rich in dairy, fruits, vegetables, and micronutrients, can help lower the risk of osteoporosis. Reducing  alcohol and coffee intake may also help reduce risk of osteoperosis²
• A 2023 systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of coffee consumption and caffeine intake and risk of fracture observed an inverse significant association between coffee consumption and risk of fracture in men. This association was however not seen among women. Higher caffeine intake was associated with an increased risk of fracture in all subjects, where each additional 100mg caffeine intake was marginally associated with a 2% increased risk of fracture³
• A further 2022 meta-analysis of associations between the risk of osteoporosis and fracture incidence suggested that a higher level of coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis. A dose-dependent relationship may exist between coffee consumption and hip fracture incidence⁴
• A 2024 prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank showed that a moderate daily consumption of 1-2 cups of coffee was associated with a lower incidence of osteoporosis. Combined coffee and tea consumption also displayed a U-shaped association with osteoporosis risk, with the lowest risk observed in individuals who consumed 1-2 cups of both beverages daily⁵
• A 2025 meta-analysis found that coffee consumption is significantly associated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis, with a similar protective effect seen from tea consumption. Subgroup analysis also revealed that high-frequency coffee consumption (more than one cup per day) was associated with a greater reduction in osteoporosis risk compared to low-frequency consumption (less than one cup per day), which showed no statistically significant reduction⁶
• A 2025 study explored data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), covering 2,863 participants with a daily caffeine consumption of more than 166.5mg (1.5-2 cups of coffee). Researchers found that these participants showed a 60% lower risk of osteoporosis compared to those with an intake of less than 60mg per day (one cup of coffee). Subgroup analysis also identified race, smoking status, phosphorus, and age as risk factors for osteoporosis, whereas coffee intake was negatively causally associated¹⁴

Bone health in specific populations

It has been suggested that ethnicity may influence the impact of coffee on bone health, particularly in some Asian populations, although the results are variable, and further research is required^15-20.

• A 2014 study from Korea found no significant association between coffee consumption and impaired bone health in premenopausal women, indicating that coffee is not a risk factor in this group¹⁵. Later work by the same researchers suggested that a moderate intake of coffee may have protective benefits in postmenopausal Korean women¹⁶
• Further work by the same research group in a cohort of Korean young men also found that coffee consumption was not significantly associated with their bone status and metabolism according to the calcium intake level¹⁷
• A 2018 meta-analysis in an Asian cohort reported that drinking more than 4 cups of coffee a day was associated with a higher hip fracture risk, while a lower intake of coffee may alleviate this risk in postmenopausal women¹⁸
• A 2018 study in smokers concluded that coffee consumption did not substantially alter bone health status in this group¹⁹
• A 2023 cross-sectional study, using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, suggested that high consumption of soft drinks, tea and coffee is associated with an increased risk of fracture in the Chinese population²⁰