Caffeine increases risk of osteoarthritis from early on in life says new evidence review

Bad news for coffee lovers, as a new evidence review highlights that caffeine heightens the chances of being affected by osteoarthritis. This time, pregnant women and young children are urged to lower intake of coffee, tea and chocolate.

Previous research has found that caffeine consumption has a negative impact on cartilage. It now seems this can happen early on in life – as young children or even sooner, when we are in the womb.

“Overall, there is ample evidence indicating that caffeine intake negatively affects the physiology of both articular and growth plate cartilage, increasing consumers predisposition to suffer osteoarthritis and long bone growth inhibition [which leads to growth retardation],” the research group discusses in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. “Due to its negative effects, caffeine consumption should be reduced and closely controlled. Specifically, this control should be mandatory for certain subjects whose caffeine metabolism is reduced, such as infants and pregnant women.”

Click here to read the original research.

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