Joints are involved in any human movement and help us bend and extend parts of the body. Minerals, macro- and microelements, vitamins and other components that you get from food and drinks have a direct impact on the health and functionality of your joints. Recently, scientists have become interested in the relationship between arthritis and drinking large amounts of coffee, but so far the research data is contradictory. Let's try to understand the main aspects of the effect of coffee on joints and find out whether you should drink it.
Can coffee affect joint health?
Caffeine itself does not cause joint disease. Arthritis, that is, inflammation, occurs for various reasons, more often due to injury or lack of special substances, vitamins and minerals, due to the absence of which the condition of the connective tissue worsens. That is, if a person gets all the necessary nutrients, does gymnastics and warms up or stretches the body, and also drinks coffee, he is unlikely to have arthritis.
Another thing is that most “coffeeholics” are people with sedentary jobs, often experiencing stress, spending a lot of time at the computer, moving little, and often smoking. That is, their body, in principle, does not have enough minerals and trace elements to maintain healthy joints. And in this case, caffeine can be both a concomitant factor and a catalyst that accelerates the development of the disease.
Coffee does not cause arthritis in a healthy person, but it can trigger or worsen symptoms.
Does cracking your fingers harm your joints?
Some people like to intentionally crack their knuckles, but putting too much pressure on your knuckles is harmful. The unnatural load they experience can lead to damage to cartilage tissue and the development of inflammatory and degenerative processes.
The Elena Malysheva Clinic of Traumatology and Orthopedics points out that if you already have signs of arthrosis, arthritis and other joint diseases, you should definitely consult a doctor. This article is suitable for those who want to prevent joint diseases, but not treat them. The pathological process cannot be stopped by eating jellied meat and cartilage. It can only be slowed down or completely cured with the help of qualified professionals.
More detailed information and registration by phone: 8.
Why does coffee cause joint pain?
Here are some ways that caffeine can cause joint pain:
Nerve irritation
The nerves that run from the kidneys to the spine can become irritated and inflamed by the toxins in caffeine, especially in the thoracic vertebrae or upper spine. The iliacus muscle group may also be affected. Because these muscles stabilize the hips and lower back, the joints can become susceptible to stiffness and pain.
Insomnia and other side effects
Treating fatigue with caffeine can sometimes cause unwanted side effects that can increase muscle and joint stiffness. For example, insomnia or trouble getting enough deep sleep each night can aggravate existing problems, causing pain that is especially felt immediately after waking up and getting up.
Increased inflammation
Caffeine present in coffee increases the production of stress hormones. As a result of this additional stress, insulin levels increase, which can also increase inflammation and worsen discomfort.
Abruptly giving up your favorite drink will not relieve these symptoms in a few days. The problem is not only caffeine, which, by the way, is even found in tea, chocolate, energy drinks or cola.
The benefits and harms of coffee for the body
Caffeine reduces the risk of gout, as well as kidney disease, which can affect the joints. The benefits of the drink are undeniable:
- provokes appetite;
- strengthens the capillaries of blood vessels;
- helps to cheer up;
- makes you want to work;
- relieves headaches and migraines;
- develops memory;
- influences resistance to stressful situations.
Despite the beneficial effects of coffee, it can harm even a healthy person of working age:
- Cause addiction, as a result of which it will be impossible to spend a day without a certain dose of the drink.
- Dangerous for those with heart disease.
- When consuming large amounts of caffeine, irritability and reluctance to work appear.
- Interferes with calcium absorption.
- Increase blood pressure.
- Reduce water levels in the body.
Drinking coffee is prohibited for girls during pregnancy and people with cardiovascular diseases. It is also not recommended to use before bedtime.
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Research by scientists
The effect of coffee on joints is a controversial issue. Private studies were carried out over quite a long period of time, but the results turned out to be somewhat confusing, and scientists and doctors have not yet come to a common conclusion.
- A study conducted by American scientists demonstrated that patients who drank up to four cups of coffee daily were more likely to see doctors with developing rheumatoid arthritis. Subjects who drank at least three cups of their favorite espresso had a lower risk of illness. These findings suggest that coffee may stop or slow the progression of arthritis.
- A second study, from Finnish scientists, found that those who consumed four or more cups of their favorite drink daily were twice as likely to report joint pain as those who drank less.
Doctors call a dose of 300 mg of caffeine per day safe for most people. This volume is not harmful and usually does not provoke the development of inflammation.
Coffee and severe joint pain
Severe pain usually occurs when a person is actively working, physically or mentally. In this case, adenosine is more actively synthesized, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel tired, wants to rest, sleep, and also processes pain signals. Caffeine replaces adenosine in the neuromodulatory system, and, consequently, the pain becomes quieter or disappears altogether, depending on the person’s reaction to caffeine. These results have reassured many people, but scientists have not yet been able to confirm them with the help of global studies, which means we cannot definitely advise drinking an Americano for pain, but it’s still worth a try. Perhaps your favorite drink will make you feel better.
Does coffee harm our skeleton, and how to deal with osteoporosis
Why do bones need the sun, what is the suppliant pose and does coffee harm our skeleton, the head of the Minsk City Center for Osteoporosis and Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System, rheumatologist Ekaterina Yatskovskaya, told the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency.
— The majority of the adult population has some idea of the factors that negatively affect the skeletal system. And yet, let's clarify: what most often provokes this disease?
— Early menopause (in women under 45 years old), sedentary lifestyle, endocrine and rheumatic diseases, diseases of the digestive system and kidneys, low weight, taking a number of drugs, in particular glucocorticoids, cytostatics, thyroid hormones, anticonvulsants. Some patients have been taking them for years. One cannot fail to mention heredity, when parents were diagnosed with osteoporosis or suffered fractures with minimal injuries. All these points relate to the so-called uncontrollable risk factors. But there are also controllable ones, depending on a person’s lifestyle. These are smoking, abuse of alcohol and certain foods, insufficient intake of calcium into the body, low physical activity, which contributes to weakening muscle tone.
— Can a person understand that his osteoporosis is progressing? Many people think that they should worry when their nails are already breaking and their back hurts.
— It is difficult to feel the symptoms of this disease. Brittle nails, premature graying, and rapid fatigue of the back muscles may occur, but these are not specific signs. However, one cannot ignore, for example, a decrease in height by 3–4 cm or more compared to approximately 25 years of age, stooping, hunching, which is also called the supplicant pose or widow’s hump. The presence of low-energy fractures obtained with minimal load should also be a reason to consult a doctor. Let's say someone hugged him tightly - a rib broke, he stumbled, his hand touched the ground - the radius bone cracked. This is the first signal that you need to undergo an examination. There is the concept of a “cascade of fractures”: a primary osteoporotic fracture increases the risk of new bone fractures several times.
— People have many stereotypes about how to eat in order to avoid this. For example, eat more dairy products, exercise, and avoid drinking coffee, which supposedly leaches calcium from the body. What is it really like?
— One or two cups of coffee a day will not develop osteoporosis. There are practically no foods and drinks that are categorically not recommended due to their negative impact on bone metabolism. Some should not be abused, others, on the contrary, should be given preference. Not only dairy and fermented milk products, especially cottage cheese and hard cheeses, but also sesame seeds, almonds, tahini halva, parsley and celery, fish, and canned fish are rich in calcium. Everything is good in moderation. And when the emphasis is not on the healthy, but only on the tasty, then there is an excess of coffee, salt, sweets, and soda. Their excessive consumption can cause problems.
— Are eggs and meat important for the health of the skeletal system?
— Protein is necessary for constant muscle renewal. If protein-free nutrition predominates or with a small amount of it, then no amount of physical education will help: in the absence of a substrate for muscle formation, this will do little. Protein must be present in some form. Understanding that muscles are important for bone health, we recommend that patients consume at least a gram of pure protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Moreover, when it comes to products, you need to multiply the figure by at least two: for example, 50 g of protein is 100 g of chicken fillet.
— You mentioned long-term use of certain medications as one of the reasons for the development of the disease. Does the patient need to stop taking these medications?
“Only a doctor can decide this, weighing all the pros and cons. For example, thyroid hormone imbalances can be corrected by taking medications. If this is not done, the consequences will affect bone metabolism to a greater extent than taking the drug. In addition, the disease itself in the active stage negatively affects human systems and organs. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment in any case, while strictly following the doctor’s recommendations and engaging in the prevention of osteoporosis.
— Warming the bones in the sun is not just a phrase. In the prevention of osteoporosis, the importance of vitamin D cannot be overestimated.
— Its influence on most systems and organs is multifaceted. Vitamin D is involved in the regulation of many physiological functions of the body, and its deficiency not only contributes to the development of osteoporosis and rickets in children, but also predisposes to the development of a number of diseases of the cardiovascular system, autoimmune pathology, and decreased immunity. Vitamin D3 is formed in our skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays from sunlight. There is evidence that over 50% of people in the world are vitamin D deficient; among the elderly population this figure reaches 80–90%. There are few full sunny days in Belarus, which means natural insolation is extremely low. Therefore, in our latitudes we can speak, at best, of insufficiency, or even deficiency, of vitamin D. Even in September, after three or four sunny months, an analysis of this indicator in the blood rarely exceeds the lower limit of normal. Therefore, for at least nine months of the year, its deficiency must be compensated for through foods rich in vitamin D and medications.
— Should young people be wary of osteoporosis?
— Often, against the backdrop of a passion for gadgets, young people are physically inactive, rarely spend time in the sun, eat haphazardly, making fast food and carbonated drinks a priority. There are counterexamples, of course, but bone density issues have really gotten younger.
— Is it possible to train the body through physical exercise in such a way as to minimize risks?
— Without physical therapy, muscle training, and maintaining general tone, the bones will not receive good nutrition. But physical education alone will not provide high-quality prevention of osteoporosis. A person also needs nutritious food. The source of building materials for bones - calcium - must enter the body so that there is something to renew the bone from. You can't do without protein. For example, vegetarians who refuse dairy products, meat, and fish are also at risk. If necessary, the doctor prescribes calcium supplements, and for better absorption, vitamin D.
— Can the development of the disease be slowed down?
— You can get out of the high-risk group for fractures by strengthening your bone tissue. This result is real, although it takes time: the minimum duration of treatment is a year. But, if there are concomitant diseases that prevent effective treatment, the process is delayed for a longer period. And you need to understand: it will not be possible to achieve the level of ideal bone tissue density and gain a foothold on it. It is unlikely that we will be able to let a person go with the words that he will never have to be treated again. Age takes its toll, the main risk factors cannot be eliminated: female sex hormones after menopause will not resume their positive effect on bone metabolism, changes in the gastrointestinal tract that impair the absorption of everything useful will not disappear. Therefore, restorative prophylaxis after treatment is recommended for life. Unless the number of drugs will decrease. Periodically, once every 2–3 years, the situation must be monitored.
— Is X-ray densitometry still the most accurate diagnostic method?
— Yes, this is the gold standard of research. Densitometry allows you to determine bone density. Patients come to us by referral from therapists from Minsk clinics or on a paid basis. During the consultation process, we determine the scope of necessary examinations, including laboratory tests. We also prescribe densitometry, if necessary. Such an examination is also carried out at the Minsk Clinical Consultative and Diagnostic Center.
For information
"Osteoporosis" translated from Latin means "porous bone." Bone is a hard organ that, in turn, supports the soft tissues of the human body. Problems begin when bone mass decreases, the structure of the bones is disrupted, they become fragile, which creates the risk of frequent fractures. Osteoporosis is called a silent epidemic: the disease is usually asymptomatic, gradually destroying bones. As a rule, this happens over many years.
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Effect of coffee on bones
A 2002 review of 32 observational studies found no overall negative effect of caffeine on bone health. Potentially negative effects on bone mineral density have been reported primarily in people with insufficient calcium intake or very high coffee consumption (more than 9 cups per day).
In fact, there is no evidence that caffeine has any harmful effects on bone or calcium health in subjects who consume the recommended daily amount of calcium. Caffeine consumption may be associated with a modest decrease in bone mineral density, but this does not significantly increase the risk of osteoporosis or the fractures commonly associated with osteoporosis.
Acceptable consumption standards for joint diseases
The daily dosage of a caffeinated drink for an adult (without health problems) should not exceed 3 cups. Recommended time of use is morning or first half of the day. For arthritic joints, the daily intake should not exceed 100–125 mg of caffeine. Sugar should not be added to freshly brewed coffee. You can reduce the intensity of the negative impact of the drink on the joints if you drink it with milk.
It is recommended to maintain a pause of at least 3 hours between servings of this invigorating drink. When the body is tired or stressed, you should not drink more than 1 cup per day. Otherwise, exposure to caffeine will lead to pain or other health problems, since in a depleted state a person becomes more susceptible to stimulants.
To reduce the negative impact of the drink on the body, it is recommended to give up instant coffee. A freeze-dried or granulated product contains not only natural ground grains, but also other additives. These can be dyes, flavors and other chemicals.
- Diet for arthrosis and joint arthritis
The method of brewing ground beans does not matter (in relation to the effect on the body). But in cezve (Turk) it is possible to better preserve the aroma and taste.
The product, which does not contain caffeine, is recommended to be consumed in an amount of no more than 800 ml per day. Despite the absence of a purine alkaloid, such coffee contains other additives that can also have a harmful effect on the body.
Conclusions:
- Drinking coffee does not cause joint diseases if a person eats properly and is physically active.
- Caffeine can worsen arthritic pain if you have health problems or the body is under stress.
- Research on the effect of coffee on joints is contradictory, and doctors have not yet come to a common decision.
- A cup of coffee can reduce pain.
- Most studies have not found any significant effects of caffeine on bone density.
Benefits and harm to the body
Natural freshly brewed coffee contains caffeine, which excites the psyche. Thanks to this quality, a person’s attentiveness increases, brain activity improves and fatigue disappears. Other beneficial properties of the aromatic drink include the following:
- appetite increases;
- memory improves;
- the walls of blood vessels are strengthened;
- stress resistance increases;
- the action of dangerous radicals is neutralized;
- the production of gastric juice is stimulated (digestion improves), etc.
Frequent consumption of coffee in large quantities can lead to nervous exhaustion, as it has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. Also drink:
- increases heart rate;
- flushes calcium, vitamin B1, B6 and other microelements from the body;
- increases blood pressure;
- has a diuretic effect;
- causes addiction.
If you drink coffee in the evening, you may have trouble sleeping. If consumed in excess, aggression and irritability may appear.
What are statins
Statins are a group of lipid-lowering drugs. They slow down the work of one of the main enzymes involved in the synthesis of cholesterol - HMC-CoA reductase. This leads to a decrease in cholesterol synthesis in the liver.
A decrease in cholesterol synthesis in hepatocytes increases the number of receptors for low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C) and their subsequent uptake from the bloodstream. In addition, there may be some reduction in the formation of LDL due to inhibition of the synthesis in the liver of their precursor, very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). Thus, statins help reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol in the blood plasma. At the same time, drugs in this group can reduce the level of TG and slightly increase the level of “good cholesterol” (high-density lipoproteins). The effectiveness of lowering blood cholesterol levels depends on the dose of the drug. To obtain the desired level of reduction, fairly high doses are required.
Their numerous additional properties also contribute to the benefit of statins:
- improving the functional activity of the endothelium;
- stabilization of atheroma (atherosclerotic plaque);
- anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antithrombotic effects;
- positive effect on bone metabolism.
