Ten-Year Study Links Tea Drinking to Slightly Stronger Hip Bones in Older Women
A 10-year study of nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older found that regular tea drinkers had slightly higher hip bone mineral density than women who did not drink tea, according to a study published in the journal Nutrients and reported by ScienceDaily. Researchers at Flinders University, using data from the long-running Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, found the difference was modest but statistically significant across the decade of follow-up. Moderate coffee intake of two to three cups a day appeared neutral for bone health, while drinking more than five cups daily was linked to lower hip bone density. The researchers said compounds in tea called catechins may support the cells that build bone, though the study shows only an association and does not prove that tea causes stronger bones.