Calcium and Caffeine

In the past I’ve stated that caffeine interferes with the absorption of calcium in our bodies. And yes, that statement is still true. However, I have recently come across more specific information about this interaction. Oregan State University’s Institute of Micronutrient Research has a very informative article on their website about calcium. (Read the whole thing, lots of great information there!) In the section about caffeine interference it gives us specific details about this fact.

Caffeine in large amounts increases urinary calcium content for a short time. However, caffeine intakes of 400 mg/day did not significantly change urinary calcium excretion. On average, one 8-ounce cup of coffee decreases calcium retention by only 2-3 mg.

One cup 8 ounce cup of drip coffee has about 145mg of caffeine. So, in theory, we can drink about 22oz of coffee per day without any significant interference with our calcium absorption. Here’s a chart that shows the caffeine levels of various beverages. This is good news since I’ve recently started drinking 1 cup of coffee each morning. And when you mix a scoop of protein in the coffee, I’m able to drink it completely guilt-free! Cheers! ~Pam