If you’re an avid coffee drinker but hates having your skin being shone on by the hot, blazing sun, you might want to reconsider your life choices soon.
A woman in China’s Zhejiang province recently made headlines for breaking one of her ribs after she sneezed, leading to doctors to discover that a certain bone condition was to blame.
High on caffeine, low on sunlight
According to China Press, it reported that the 35-year-old woman fractured her rib following a sneeze—a highly unusual series of events to take place.
When questioned by doctors what could have led to the fracture, the woman revealed that she drinks at least two cups of coffee daily, spends long periods indoors and puts on sunscreen whenever she goes outside.
As such, these factors greatly increased her risk for osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become weak, brittle, and highly susceptible to fractures.
Doctor’s advice
According to a doctor named Song Baishan, he said the case highlighted the possibility of osteoporosis becoming increasingly common among younger people.
He added that since caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, consuming excessive amounts of it may increase the amount of calcium excreted through urine, with studies estimating that every 100mg of caffeine consumed may result in an additional loss of around 2 to 3mg of calcium.
Nonetheless, the studies also stated that the extent of the effect depends on the individual’s diet and calcium intake.
Song added that vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, while moderate exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays is one way for the body to produce vitamin D through the skin.
However, he noted that using sunscreen does not necessarily lead to vitamin D deficiency and warned against exposing oneself to sunlight for prolonged periods just to obtain vitamin D.
To avoid a similar fate as the woman’s, Song recommended that people exercise regularly, consume adequate amounts of milk, dairy products and other calcium-rich foods, and ensure they get sufficient vitamin D while reducing their coffee intake.
He also reminded those who suffer a fracture without an obvious injury to seek medical attention for a bone density test and other relevant examinations to determine whether they have osteoporosis or other underlying conditions.
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