Some of these sugary coffee drinks can contain upwards of 66 grams of added sugar and pack nearly 500 calories (16).
Can Coffee Really Stunt Your Growth?
Few foods or drinks have been as well studied as coffee. Research has looked at coffee’s possible connection to cancer, infertility, heart disease and a host of other problems (more on some of these later).
But, did you ever hear that coffee might stunt your growth? Apparently, it’s a common belief.
Separating Truth from Fiction
There is no scientifically valid evidence to suggest that coffee can stunt a person’s growth.
This idea may have come from the misconception that coffee causes osteoporosis (a condition that may be associated with loss of height).
But blaming coffee for height loss due to osteoporosis is faulty reasoning for at least two reasons:
- Coffee does not cause osteoporosis.
- Osteoporosis does not routinely make you short.
The other problem with the “coffee stunts your growth” theory is that most growth occurs well before most people are drinking coffee regularly. By the time we’re in our teens, most people have almost reached their full height. For girls, this is usually by age 15 to 17; for boys, it’s a bit later. You can’t “undo” bone growth once it’s complete.
Decades ago, studies reported that coffee drinkers might have an increased risk of osteoporosis. It was suggested that:
- Caffeine can increase the body’s elimination of calcium.
- Lack of calcium can contribute to osteoporosis.
Naturally, this attracted lots of attention and concern. After all, there are millions of coffee drinkers, so presumably all of them could be at risk. But the effect of caffeine on calcium excretion is small. And the link between coffee consumption and osteoporosis was never confirmed.
In fact, when the studies suggesting a link were analyzed, it turned out that people who drank more coffee also drank less milk and other calcium-containing beverages. So it was probably the dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D among coffee drinkers, not the coffee, that increased the risk of osteoporosis.
Causes of Height Loss
Osteoporosis with compression fractures can reduce an adult’s height. But you can also lose height without osteoporosis.
The discs above and below most of the spinal bones (vertebrae) contain water. They lose water with age, so they can degenerate and compress a bit. If enough discs are affected, you can lose a measureable amount of height over time.
Curvature of the spine (scoliosis) or bending of the spine forward (kyphosis) can also lead to height loss. The most common causes of scoliosis and kyphosis include osteoporosis (in adults) and developmental abnormalities (in kids).
For anyone concerned about the effect of coffee consumption on bone health, getting more calcium and vitamin D through diet (or supplements) could readily address this.
And while it’s true that people who have osteoporosis of the spine can lose height (and often have curved spines), it’s the fractures, not the osteoporosis itself, that lead to height loss.
The Risks and Benefits of Coffee
Many studies have failed to identify serious medical risks associated with coffee drinking. Coffee can cause insomnia, a jittery feeling and a slight (and temporary) elevation in blood pressure in some people.
Excessive coffee consumption (six or more cups per day) has been associated with reduced fertility and miscarriage (although definitive studies are not available). In addition, caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of headaches; higher intake can trigger migraine headaches; and it can worsen heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
But most coffee drinkers have no bothersome side effects. And many studies have “cleared” coffee as a cause of serious disease, including cancer and heart disease. In fact, research has linked coffee consumption to several health benefits, including a reduced risk of:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Liver disease
- Certain cancers (especially liver cancer)
- Gout
Caffeine can also briefly enhance athletic performance and promote weight loss. (By the way, many competitive sports ban excessive caffeine intake by athletes.)
Some of these potential benefits may not just be related to caffeine. For example, maybe coffee drinkers have healthier lifestyles than non-coffee drinkers. If true, those lifestyle differences, not the coffee, could account for the lower risk of certain diseases. Just as the “link” between coffee and osteoporosis turned out to have another explanation, these potential health benefits could turn out to be unrelated to coffee.
The Bottom Line
Whether or not coffee turns out to have significant health benefits, this popular beverage doesn’t stunt your growth. Your height is largely determined by the height of your parents and the quality of your diet and overall health while growing. If you eat a balanced diet and take measures to avoid osteoporosis, you’re likely to achieve the maximum height “allowed” by your genes. And, sorry: Just as drinking coffee won’t make you shorter, avoiding it won’t make you any taller.
Image: Laborer/Getty Images
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Does Coffee Really Stunt Your Growth?
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed caffeinated beverages in the world. This is largely due to its energizing effects, as well as its great taste and aroma.
In fact, US adults aged 18–65 drink more coffee than any other caffeinated beverage, including energy drinks, tea and soda. Among adolescents, coffee is the second most consumed caffeinated beverage, following energy drinks (1).
Accordingly, there is much debate over whether coffee is safe for adolescents, as it’s thought to hinder proper bone growth and development.
This article takes an evidence-based look at whether coffee will stunt your growth and how much coffee adolescents can safely consume.
For some time, growing teens were warned that drinking coffee would stunt their growth.
However, there is no evidence that drinking coffee has any effect on height.
One study tracked 81 women aged 12–18 for six years. It found no difference in bone health between those who had the highest daily caffeine intake, compared to those with the lowest ( 2 ).
The exact origin of this myth is unknown, but it’s thought to have something to do with the caffeine that is naturally found in coffee.
Early research suggested an association between caffeine intake and reduced calcium absorption, which is necessary for bone strength and health ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ).
Thus, it wasn’t far-fetched to warn growing adolescents about drinking coffee out of fear it would prevent their bones from fully developing.
However, the reduction in calcium absorption associated with caffeine intake is so small that it can be offset by adding 1–2 tablespoons of milk to every 6-ounce cup (180 ml) of coffee you drink ( 7 ).
This is likely why drinking coffee is not linked to stunted growth (8, 9).
Summary
The caffeine in coffee may slightly reduce calcium absorption, which may inhibit bone growth in adolescents. However, there is no evidence linking growth and height with coffee consumption.
Coffee does not stunt growth, but it may harm health in other ways.
Coffee Can Disrupt Sleep
The caffeine in coffee can temporarily increase alertness and energy, but it can also interfere with sleep.
It stays in a young person’s body much longer than in an adult’s body, so its effects take longer to wear off.
A two-week study in 191 middle schoolers examined sleep patterns and the intake of caffeine-containing foods and drinks. It found that caffeine intake ranged from 0–800 milligrams per day. ( 10 ).
Higher caffeine intake was associated with reduced or disrupted sleep at night and increased sleepiness during the day ( 10 ).
What’s more, adolescents who are sleep deprived are more likely to perform poorly in academics and consume foods that are higher in sugar and calories, a driving force of childhood obesity ( 11 , 12 ).
Some Coffee Drinks Are High in Sugar
Many popular coffee drinks contain significant amounts of added sugars in the form of flavored sugar syrups, whipped cream and shaved chocolate.
Added sugar generally leads to higher spikes in blood sugar levels than sugar naturally found in whole foods. This is because high-sugar fruit and vegetables contain fiber and other beneficial nutrients that mitigate blood sugar fluctuations.
Consuming added sugars in excess can contribute to obesity, heart disease and many other health problems ( 13 , 14 , 15 ).
For this reason, the American Heart Association recommends that children do not consume more than 6 teaspoons (or about 25 grams) of added sugar per day ( 15 ).
Some of these sugary coffee drinks can contain upwards of 66 grams of added sugar and pack nearly 500 calories (16).
Summary
Adolescents who consume more caffeine may sleep less at night, which may result in poor grades and an increased desire for sweet, high-calorie foods. Plus, the added sugars in many popular coffee drinks can cause additional health problems.
Coffee contains several substances that have been associated with many health benefits.
These beneficial components include:
- Caffeine: Responsible for coffee’s stimulating effects, caffeine can improve exercise performance. It has also been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease (17, 18 , 19 , 20 ).
- Chlorogenic acid: This compound acts as an antioxidant, protecting your body’s cells from damage. It may also play a role in weight management ( 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ).
- Diterpenes: This group of compounds possesses antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Test tube studies suggest diterpenes may also have anticancer properties ( 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ).
- Trigonelline: Research in diabetic mice suggests that trigonelline lowers blood sugar levels and improves nerve damage associated with uncontrolled diabetes ( 29 , 30 , 31 ).
What’s more, a review of 201 studies found that drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and kidney disease ( 32 ).
While promising, these results are observational, meaning researchers can’t prove that coffee caused these effects. This limits the strength of the review ( 32 ).
Summary
Coffee contains several components that are beneficial for health. Observational studies suggest a positive link between drinking coffee and a decreased risk of disease.
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