How Does Caffeine Affect A Calcium Supplement?

Without enough calcium in your diet, you may begin to lose bone mineral density, decreased nerve conduction and reduced blood clotting. Obtaining enough calcium in your diet can be a challenge for older adults, particularly postmenopausal women, and sometimes supplementation is necessary. Caffeine may possibly inhibit how well your body absorbs calcium from supplements.

Calcium Lost

A single cup of coffee can result in a circulating calcium loss between 4 and 6 milligrams in your body. These estimated values derive from a 1995 study in “Osteoporosis International” and a 1992 study in the “Journal of Nutrition.” Both studies evaluated calcium loss in older and postmenopausal women. The amount of caffeine in a single cup of coffee ranges between 80 and 175 milligrams depend on brewing method. As you consume more caffeine, more calcium is lost from your body.

Impact of Loss

A 2006 study in “Osteoporosis International” stated that postmenopausal women drinking more than 4 cups of coffee daily had an increased risk of bone fractures due to calcium loss. Women who already had a calcium deficient diet were particularly at risk for bone fractures. If you are taking a calcium supplement because you lack calcium in your diet, speak to your doctor about your caffeine consumption to ensure it will not increase your risk for osteoporosis.

Countering Caffeine’s Effect

The amount of calcium you lose from a caffeinated drink is minor enough that you should be able to counter it with only slight alterations to your diet. Registered dietitians attached to the University of Arizona Department of Nutritional Sciences state that just 1 tablespoon of reduced fat milk in your coffee or tea can counteract the effects of the caffeine. You may also want to take your supplement at a time when your circulating caffeine levels are low. Caffeine reaches its peak concentration in your blood between 45 and 60 minutes after ingestion, but the effects of the stimulant may last for several hours.

Increasing Calcium Absorption

Because caffeine can have an impact on your calcium supplement, ensuring you absorb as much of the supplement as possible may be necessary if you are not ready to eliminate caffeine from your diet. Taking your calcium supplement with food to promote stomach acidity, increase vitamin D intake and taking the supplement lactose can all increase your calcium absorption rate. Also avoid taking the supplement with foods containing oxalic acid, phytates or dietary fiber, as these all prevent you from absorbing the calcium well.