No drink automatically “destroys” your bones, but some beverages can contribute to poorer bone health when consumed in excess or when they replace more nutritious options. Here are five commonly discussed categories:
- Sugary soft drinks
- Regular sodas are high in added sugar and may displace calcium-rich drinks like milk.
- Cola drinks also contain phosphoric acid, though current evidence suggests that poor overall diet and reduced calcium intake are more important factors than phosphoric acid alone.
- Excessive alcohol
- Heavy, long-term alcohol use can interfere with bone formation, reduce calcium absorption, and increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
- Moderate drinking has much less clear effects.
- Highly caffeinated energy drinks
- Very high caffeine intake can slightly increase calcium loss in urine.
- Energy drinks often contain large amounts of sugar as well, making frequent consumption less healthy overall.
- Sugary coffee or specialty coffee drinks
- Coffee itself is not generally harmful to bones when consumed in moderation.
- The concern is excessive caffeine and high-calorie, sugar-laden coffee beverages, especially if they replace nutritious foods or drinks.
- Sugar-sweetened fruit drinks
- Fruit punches and sweetened juice drinks provide lots of added sugar with little nutritional benefit.
- They may contribute to an overall dietary pattern that’s less supportive of bone health.
Drinks that support bone health
Better choices include:
- Milk or fortified plant-based beverages that provide calcium and vitamin D.
- Water.
- Unsweetened tea or coffee in moderation.
- Fortified orange juice (if it contains added calcium and vitamin D).
The biggest influences on bone health are your overall diet, adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, regular weight-bearing exercise, avoiding smoking, and limiting excessive alcohol, rather than any single beverage. Moderate consumption of coffee or soda is unlikely to cause bone problems in an otherwise healthy person with adequate calcium intake.
