Your morning drink could be making the vitamins you take in the morning pointless. In fact, your drink of choice could even affect your bones and overall health, even if you’re taking multiple vitamins.
Studies – focused on the influence of energy and normal caffeine consumption and the effects of low doses of caffeine on human performance and mood – show that whilst many forms of caffeine can boost your mind as well as your mental and physical performance, consuming too many caffeinated drinks can lead to some dangerous side effects and issues like anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and fatigue.
One study reveals there’s a link between vitamin and mineral absorption levels. Livestrong reports that these essential nutrients need to be absorbed from the bloodstream to be effective, but drinking coffee, which many of us do before work, could hinder this process.
Vitamin D and caffeine
For example, when it comes to Vitamin D, researchers at Creighton University and the University of Miami found caffeine may interfere with how vitamin D is absorbed. A study published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology shows that the higher the level of caffeine you have, the more it interferes with vitamin D absorption.
Experts think the reason this happens is that the caffeine reduces the expression of vitamin D receptors on osteoblasts in the body. These are the cells responsible for producing bone.
Calcium and caffeine
If you take calcium, this may also be affected. A study published in Osteoporosis International found consuming just one cup of coffee can slightly decrease calcium absorption and increase calcium loss through urine due to its diuretic properties. More research involving 205 postmenopausal women, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, noted people with low milk or calcium intake who consume two or more cups of coffee daily may experience bone loss.
In yet another study, this time from Norway, nearly 20,000 women were involved, and results suggested drinking nine or more cups of coffee per day could raise the risk of bone fractures. Furthermore, findings from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that older women who drink cola daily may have lower bone mineral density compared to those who consume it less than once a month.
Iron and caffeine
If you take iron, this could also be impacted, with another study showing: “A cup of coffee reduced iron absorption from a hamburger meal by 39% as compared to a 64% decrease with tea, which is known to be a potent inhibitor of iron absorption.
“When a cup of drip coffee or instant coffee was ingested with a meal composed of semipurified ingredients, absorption was reduced from 5.88% to 1.64 and 0.97%, respectively, and when the strength of the instant coffee was doubled, percentage iron absorption fell to 0.53%.”
It concludes: “These studies demonstrate that coffee inhibits iron absorption in a concentration-dependent fashion.”
Can I keep drinking coffee?
The same study that looked into a hamburger meal above found that drinking coffee one hour before a meal does not reduce iron absorption. However, drinking coffee one hour after a meal did.
It noted: “No decrease in iron absorption occurred when coffee was consumed 1 h before a meal, but the same degree of inhibition as with simultaneous ingestion was seen when coffee was taken 1 h later.”
If you find that you’re taking vitamins for certain issues such as fatigue, bone health or anything else, you should try, if you can, to cut back caffeine if you are having a lot. If you’re concerned, it is always best to see your GP and get certain levels tested.
From there, you can see if you need to take any vitamins or/and minerals. You should also be informed how much you need to take and if there’s anything that could have an impact on how it works.