Coffee And Tobacco: Twin Threats To The Bones
Coffee and tobacco are perfect bedfellows. Often people would take the two to replace a meal or even to stem the tide of stress and anxiety in the workplace. The combination of caffeine and nicotine can bring about calmness, energy and better focus that people need to work better. But the problem with these two when taken in combination can wreak havoc to the bones. How does caffeine and tobacco can make the bones weak? Here are some points to ponder why your coffee drinking and smoking can lead you to more bone breakage when you grow older.
Caffeine's effect
Caffeine has a very distinct effect to the body. Osteoporosis is a condition where the bone weakens due to lowered bone density. Calcium plays an important part in figuring the bone mass. The bones and teeth need calcium to become stronger and be able to become resilient in the face of impending injury. Older people are susceptible to bone breakage due to osteoporosis.
One of the factors that can cause osteoporosis is caffeine consumption. It seems that as caffeine consumption increases it also prompts the body to excrete more calcium from the body. If a person is not getting a lot of calcium it is possible that the body will turn to the\ calcium-rich areas to get some calcium to be expelled from the body. This will lead to weaker teeth and bones later on if the calcium that was taken will not be replaced adequately.
Tobacco's effect
The nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco affect bone health in so many ways. Tobacco smoke has a lot of free radicals that can overwhelm the natural defenses of the body. The resulting chain reaction of the effects of free radicals can extend as far as the bones. Free radicals can change the behavior of the enzymes and the hormones that are involved in bone health.
Stress and free radicals are the perfect ingredients to cause bone mass loss. Cortisol which is a known stress hormone can cause bone mass decline. It is also known that the free radicals prevent the propagation of the hormone calcitonin which helps the bone to store more calcium and make it stronger.
The counter-attack
Keeping the body healthy is the number one priority if a person is looking to prevent bone mass loss and osteoporosis. It is best to consume less caffeine which is often present in beverages like coffee, tea and sodas. If there is a need to consume these drinks it is best to balance it by consuming calcium. It is best to get the mineral from the food that you eat. As for smoking, there is no other solution than to quit smoking. Quitting is the healthiest way to prevent tobacco smoke from causing further damage to the body.
Caffeine and tobacco can cause havoc if there is continued use with disregard to health. People are often unaware about the effects of these two to the body and thus they are actually oblivious to the effects. Perhaps with education, people will realize the need to control caffeine consumption and quit smoking for good.
Caffeine's effect
Caffeine has a very distinct effect to the body. Osteoporosis is a condition where the bone weakens due to lowered bone density. Calcium plays an important part in figuring the bone mass. The bones and teeth need calcium to become stronger and be able to become resilient in the face of impending injury. Older people are susceptible to bone breakage due to osteoporosis.
One of the factors that can cause osteoporosis is caffeine consumption. It seems that as caffeine consumption increases it also prompts the body to excrete more calcium from the body. If a person is not getting a lot of calcium it is possible that the body will turn to the\ calcium-rich areas to get some calcium to be expelled from the body. This will lead to weaker teeth and bones later on if the calcium that was taken will not be replaced adequately.
Tobacco's effect
The nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco affect bone health in so many ways. Tobacco smoke has a lot of free radicals that can overwhelm the natural defenses of the body. The resulting chain reaction of the effects of free radicals can extend as far as the bones. Free radicals can change the behavior of the enzymes and the hormones that are involved in bone health.
Stress and free radicals are the perfect ingredients to cause bone mass loss. Cortisol which is a known stress hormone can cause bone mass decline. It is also known that the free radicals prevent the propagation of the hormone calcitonin which helps the bone to store more calcium and make it stronger.
The counter-attack
Keeping the body healthy is the number one priority if a person is looking to prevent bone mass loss and osteoporosis. It is best to consume less caffeine which is often present in beverages like coffee, tea and sodas. If there is a need to consume these drinks it is best to balance it by consuming calcium. It is best to get the mineral from the food that you eat. As for smoking, there is no other solution than to quit smoking. Quitting is the healthiest way to prevent tobacco smoke from causing further damage to the body.
Caffeine and tobacco can cause havoc if there is continued use with disregard to health. People are often unaware about the effects of these two to the body and thus they are actually oblivious to the effects. Perhaps with education, people will realize the need to control caffeine consumption and quit smoking for good.
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