Green Tea May Provide Bone Health Benefits

During menopause, women’s estrogen levels begin to decrease which can result in decreases in bone mineral density. A new study suggests that consuming green tea may have bone health benefits for postmenopausal women.

Participants in the study included 6,438 postmenopausal Korean women over the age of 50. Participants were classified into one of three groups: non consumers of green tea, those who drank green tea less than once a day, and those who drank 1-3 cups of green tea per day. Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine, total femur, femur neck was assessed.

The researchers found that participants who never consumed green tea and those who consumed it less than once per day were more likely to have lower bone density of the lumbar spine or femur compared to those who drank green tea daily. The odds ratios for osteoporosis were 1.91 in participants who never drank green tea and 1.82 in those who drank less than one cup per day, compared to those who drank green tea every day.

The study was conducted by researchers from Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital. It was published online ahead of print on December 26, 2021, in the journal Nutrients.