Could someone tell me if calcium and caffine taken together wipes out the benefits of the calcium. Heard different theories on this. Thanks

Hi there,

I did a quick literature review and found some articles that may help you. Note that research still lacks irrefutable evidence that caffeine indeed results in increased risk of bone loss and osteoporosis.

R.P. Heany has a nice summary to your question:



You should also check out THIS site with another summary of various literature including that quoted above.

Cheers,

Edward


Reference:

1 Heany R.P., (2002) Effects of caffeine on bone and the calcium economy. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 40(9), 1263-1270

Does it matter what your source of caffeine is? I very rarely drink coffee or tea. I may have coffee once a week and tea once a month. But I do drink energy drinks. They are sugar free with no carbohydrates and their main source of energy is B vitamins and aptogenic herbs. I also take a rhodiola supplement about twice a week for an energy burst, and that contains 75 mg of caffeine. I don't drink milk anymore, but I get my calcium from multi-vitamins, a vitamin C supplement, protein shakes, protein bars and a decent amount in food. Is my calcium consumption sufficient compared to the amount of caffeine I consume on a weekly basis?

Hmmm, that's an interesting question Neil. Off the top of my head I would say the source is irrelevant in terms of how your body absorbs caffeine and the metabolic effects that result. Caffeine is caffeine no matter the source and it is absorbed very easily.

As to your Ca consumption, it shouldn't be a problem with moderate intakes of caffeine. Studies typically find intakes of caffeine to be a potential issue in persons who drink >4 cups per day. (~400mg of caffeine) How much do you drink on average? Further, the recommended requirement of Ca is 1000mg/d (I am assuming you are btw the ages of 19-50?). Do you think your shake, bars etc reach this? If you don't drink milk you should ensure your Ca supplement(s) include vitamin D. Ca is relatively poorly absorbed by the body and so to get the most of your intake you need vitamin D to help absorb it.

In summary, if you are consuming less than 400mg of caffeine a day and your Ca/Vit D intake is acceptable then you "should" be ok... but I must say it not the ideal nutritional situation. Just curious, why do you not drink milk? Allergy?

Edward, thanks for your helpful information. I am definitely not coming close to 400 mg of caffeine a day. I thought 100 was a lot but I feel a lot better now that you told me that. I probably am closer to 50-100 mg a day at the most. Is my calcium/vitamin D intake acceptable? I wouldn't say it's poor but I know it is not ideal either. I wish I could give you an estimate on an actual amount per day.

But one thing I didn't mention is that I take a calcium supplement each day with 750 mg of calium, along with magnesium and vitamin D in it. I don't know what your opinion of supplements are in general or spefically calcium, but I know some people don't believe in their benefits. I think vitamins and supplements can be extremely effective if they are taken in addition to a moderately healthy diet.

I gave up milk about a year and a half ago. I don't think I'm allergic to it, but the reason I gave it up was because it always made me feel bloated and screwed up my digestion, so maybe I am allergic to it.

Hi Neil, glad to be of help.


I agree that there is definitely a place for supplements in some peoples diet. If, for whatever reason, finding the required amount of nutrients from food isn't feasible then it's the next best thing. And by supplements I mean the vitamins and minerals such as your taking. I don't recommend more holistic supplements such as "cure-all" juices or wonder foods. But it's great you are taking Mg and Vit D together with your Ca along with other food sources.

Have you ever been tested for lactose intolerance? Those symptoms sound strikingly similar and it's less likely to be an actual milk allergy if you've gone undiagnosed thus far. At any rate you are on the right track to ensuring you meet recommended requirements despite avoiding milk.

I have never been tested for lactose intolerance but I will do that in the near future. I think I am hitting the daily requirements for calcium like you said. That supplement seems to be doing the job.

I find that my diet is lacking calcium as well. I often forget about calcium supplements. I recently read that coral calcium is one of the better forms to take...any thoughts?