6 Foods and Drinks to Avoid If You Have Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a common condition that can develop as people get older. People with osteoporosis have lower mineral density in their bones, which makes bones weaker. Weak bones are more likely to break and have trouble healing, which can impact your mobility and overall health.

Nutrition plays an important role in preventing and treating osteoporosis. While there’s no such thing as an “osteoporosis diet,” there are foods that can help make your bones stronger. Bone-strengthening foods are high in calcium, vitamin D, and protein. But there are also certain foods that weaken bones and make osteoporosis worse.

Here are six foods to avoid with osteoporosis. 

1. Foods high in sodium

Your body needs a certain amount of sodium to stay healthy. But too much sodium may be harmful to your bones. Researchers still aren’t sure how much sodium is too much when it comes to bone health. 

In food, sodium mostly comes from salt. Early research found that a high-salt diet can cause your body to lose calcium through your urine. Calcium is crucial for strong bones. So, over time, this loss of calcium may weaken bones and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

But more recent research says just the opposite. One study found that people on a low-sodium diet had lower bone density compared to people following a high-sodium diet.

The truth may lie somewhere in between. Experts advise limiting sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day if you have osteoporosis. This is the same limit the American Heart Association suggests for most adults.

Examples of foods that are high in sodium include:

• Highly processed packaged foods

• Processed meat like bacon, sausage, and jerky

• Condiments

• Pizza

• Canned soups

• Frozen meals

2. Excess caffeine

Caffeine may impact bone health in a few ways, including by:

• Making it harder for your body to build new bone

• Affecting how the body processes calcium 

Older research found that people who consume a lot of caffeine may lose more calcium in urine. More recent research suggests that consuming very high amounts of caffeine — around 800 mg — may increase the amount of calcium the body loses through urine. 

But does this calcium loss translate into a higher risk for developing osteoporosis? It’s not clear. There’s a lot of debate around caffeine and bone health. 

Some research suggests that age, sex, and even the source of the caffeine matter. Other research has found that the amount of caffeine may matter. In one study, drinking 4 or more cups of coffee each day was associated with a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. 

The FDA recommends that people limit their caffeine intake to 400 mg per day. This would equal about 4 cups of regular brewed coffee. But the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation recommends limiting coffee intake to 3 cups per day. There’s some research to suggest that this amount may even reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. So, moderation is key. 

3. Soda

You may have heard that drinking soda can impact your bone health. One large study found that higher soda intake was linked to a significantly higher risk of hip fractures in postmenopausal women. But the reason for this isn’t clear.

The sugar in soda may be one reason. Sugar, like salt, can cause the body to lose calcium in the urine. Diets high in sugar have also been linked to lower vitamin D stores. The combination of inadequate vitamin D and calcium together creates a recipe for weaker and more brittle bones. But sugar isn’t the only reason, since the risk showed up across different types of soda, including diet soda. 

The phosphoric acid in dark colas may also play a role. Phosphoric acid, used to enhance soda’s flavor, may disrupt the body's calcium balance. This is especially true when soda is combined with a low-calcium diet. 

So experts recommend limiting soda if you have osteoporosis. Instead, try bone-healthy drinks like milk and plain water.

4. Alcohol

Research on alcohol and bone health is mixed. 

Some studies link alcohol intake to a higher risk of osteoporosis. For example, one study found that people who had 1 alcoholic drink per day had a 40% higher risk of developing osteoporosis compared to people who didn’t drink alcohol at all. 

But other research suggests that moderate drinking may be linked with better bone health. In one study, people who consumed up to 2 drinks per day actually had better bone mineral density than nondrinkers.

But when it comes to heavy drinking, the research is more consistent. Consuming 15 or more drinks per week for men and 8 or more drinks per week for women is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis and weaker bones.

To be clear, experts don’t recommend drinking alcohol to support bone health. If you don’t already drink alcohol, there’s no need to start — especially given alcohol’s many other negative effects on health. But if you do drink alcohol, don’t exceed 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink per day for women. 

5. High-oxalate foods

Oxalates are a type of compound in foods that might affect your body’s ability to absorb calcium. A large study found a link between oxalate consumption and an increase in fractures and osteoporosis over a certain period of time. But calcium intake was also lower during the study period. It’s a good idea to make sure you’re getting enough calcium if your diet is high in oxalates.

Examples of some foods high in oxalates include:

• Certain vegetables, including spinach, beets, and carrots

• Some nuts, like almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts

• Chocolate and cocoa powder

• Soy foods, including tofu, soy powder, and miso

6. Ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are foods that are very modified from their natural state. They’re stripped of many of their nutrients and have several harmful ingredients added — like salt, sugar, and preservatives. 

Studies have strongly linked ultra-processed foods to bone disorders including osteoporosis. This may be due to the fact that ultra-processed foods are high in sodium and saturated fat but low in bone-supportive nutrients like protein and calcium. But more research is needed to understand this relationship.

How does your diet contribute to bone density loss?

Your diet can contribute to bone density loss in a few different ways. 

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Written by:

Ronald W. Dworkin, MD, PhD

Ronald W. Dworkin, MD, is a board-certified anesthesiologist who has been practicing anesthesiology in a community hospital for 30 years. He has taught in the honors program at George Washington University for over 10 years and works as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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