Does Coffee Deplete Calcium? (Shocking Truth)

I understand how coffee has become a crucial part of our day because it gives you that oh-so-good energy boost that helps in better performance. But on one hand, caffeine is good for us, but on the other hand, it can be detrimental to our health.

Caffeine does many things to our body but one thing that will affect us the most is that caffeine makes your bones weak by sucking out the calcium from them.

Coffee is high in caffeine and caffeine sucks the calcium from your bones, making them weak.

This study says, about 6 milligrams of calcium is lost for every 100 milligrams of caffeine. It might not seem much of a loss but in the long run, it will be harmful. Caffeine basically disrupts the volume of calcium in your body which can cause many serious health issues.

Researchers say that calcium can be balanced out while consuming caffeine. You merely have to increase the intake of calcium by 40mg for every 177.5ml of caffeine.

A normal amount of calcium in an adult is about 8.5 to 10.5 mg/dL. Hypocalcemia is a disease that refers to an above-average amount of calcium in one’s body. It can be dangerous if not treated immediately.

Few hypocalcemia symptoms and signs that you could experience are as follows;

  • Fatigue.
  • Abnormal heartbeat rythem.
  • Muscle spasms and cramps.
  • Numbness and tingling
  • Dry skin.
  • Seizures.

Have a look at this video to have more knowledge about what caffeine does to your body. (Shocking)

Keep reading to know more.

Does caffeine lower calcium?

a cup of coffee

Caffeine plays a major role in lowering calcium in our bodies. Every 100mg cup of coffee or any other caffeinated beverage you consume costs you 6 milligrams of calcium.

Calcium is one of the most important nutrients in our body. 99% of calcium is found in bones and the rest of the 1% is found in muscle, blood, and other tissues. Calcium is the main nutrient that allows us to move because it has a huge impact on our bones. It makes sure that the bones are in good shape and are working perfectly.

An imbalance in calcium levels in your body can lead to diseases, for instance, seizures, tooth decay, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and many more.

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests, every person should have an intake of 500 mg of calcium a day to keep the bones and as well as other organs healthy.

Does caffeine affect bone density?

A cup of coffee

Yes, caffeine ingestion has been proven to affect bone density. As it leaches the calcium out of your bones making them weak, thereby increasing the risk of fractures.

Lower bone density can bring up health issues like bone fracture, but the major issue it can cause is Osteoporosis. It is a disease where low bone density causes holes in the bones making them weak and more fragile to bone fractures.

Although, you can increase bone density by doing simple things:

  • Weightlifts and strength training.
  • Consuming more vegatables.
  • Eating foods that are rich in vitamins D and K.
  • Introducing more protein in your diet.
  • Foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and zinc.
  • Avoiding smoking and drinking.

Coffee can also affect the iron in your body. Read more about that in my other article.

Is calcium present in coffee?

As a matter of fact, coffee does contain calcium in it. but it doesn’t mean that it is a good way of consuming your daily calcium dose. To make it more clear, coffee has calcium in it as long as it contains any type of milk. Caffeine itself doesn’t have calcium in it.

If we go in deeper, calcium quantity varies on the type of coffee:

Coffee TypeCalcium Quantity (per 100g)
Decaffeinated coffee2mg
Espresso2mg
Instant coffee141mg
Coffee, instant, chicory4mg
Coffee, instant, french36mg
Coffee, instant, mocha271mg
Amount of calcium in different types of coffee

Can coffee cause poor calcium absorption?

a cup of coffee

There are studies that say caffeine influences calcium balance in the body negatively by decreasing calcium renal reabsorption and as well as decreasing intestinal calcium absorption efficiency.

As you must know by now, coffee does have an impact on calcium absorption, nonetheless, it can be avoided by solely adding an adequate quantity of milk to your coffee.

100 grams of milk which is 1% fat has about 125 mg of calcium in it, so by adding about 5 tsp of milk, you will be getting 31.8 mg of calcium with every coffee.

Is too much calcium bad?

Too much of anything is bad for you. While caffeine gives you that adrenaline increase, too much caffeine can eat your bones up. And while calcium is good for your bones, too much of it can cause hypercalcemia.

Here are some positive and negative side effects of calcium:

  • Calcium decreases the possibility of bone fractures.
  • Calcium will make sure that your muscles, and nerves are perfoming perfectly.
  • Calcium taken with vitamin D, can protect you from cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
  • High intake of calcium can cause kidney stones.
  • Some studies say, high consumption of calcium can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

What foods are high in calcium?

almond milk

There are innumerable foods that are rich in calcium. By introducing some of them to your diet, you will be consuming an adequate amount of calcium per day.

Nonetheless, if you are taking calcium supplements, refrain from ingesting too many calcium-enriched foods, because an immoderate amount of calcium can cause kidney stones, heart attacks, and strokes.

Here is a table for some of the most enriched calcium foods:

Foods Amount of Calcium
Kale, 100g.150mg
Almonds, 100g.260mg
Dried figs, 100g.162mg
Collard greens, raw, 100g.232mg
Sardines, canned in oil, with bones, 3 oz.324mg
Cheddar cheese, 17g.122.6mg
Yogurt, plain, low fat, 8 oz.300mg
Orange juice, calcium-fortified, 6 fl oz.200-260mg
Salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone, 3 oz.181mg
Tofu, 100g.350mg
Foods that are rich in calcium.

To conclude

Caffeine has many negative as well as positive impacts on the human body. It is utterly one’s own decision if he/she wants to get the positive effects or the negatives ones. It depends on the amount of coffee, a balanced one will give you plenty of benefits.

Caffeine ingested in excessive amounts can eventually cause severe health issues; therefore you should be mindful about what and how much to put in your body.

Caffeine has the potential to suck out the calcium from your bones, thus making them weak, fragile and increasing the possibility of bone fractures or worse, osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease that low calcium can cause. Studies say, about 57% of the US population has Osteoporosis, mostly in people who are above 50. It can be quite dangerous if not treated immediately.

Coffee does have calcium in it but it sucks out more than it contains. You should have a daily intake of calcium as it will strengthen the bones.

A normal intake of calcium will help in strengthening the bones and keeping the heart, muscles, and nerves healthy. As I have said before, too much of anything is bad; therefore, too much calcium will lead to an increased risk of kidney stones, heart attacks, and strokes.

Hypocalcemia is another disease that refers to an abnormal increase in calcium. It has its own symptoms, for instance, fatigue, seizures, abnormal heartbeat, and many others. The only way to avoid it is by not taking supplements if you have a high calcium diet.

All you need to do is to keep a track of what foods are rich in calcium and what calcium supplements are best for you.

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Marty

Caffeine aficionado and coffee student (if there's such a thing!). I've come to love coffee in recent years and share what I learn along the way on this website.

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