Caffeine consumption as a potential risk factor of osteoporosis development among night shift workers:...

Night workers have demonstrated an increased risk of bone fracture. The mechanisms underlying the observed bone changes among night workers remain unclear. They have been attributed to hormonal changes resulting from exposure to light during nighttime, sleep restrictions and distur- bances in expression of circadian rhythms genes. An additional factor that may contribute to increased bone loss among night workers is the con- sumption of caffeinated products. The aim of the work was to review the epidemiological evidence on the association between caffeine consumption and bone density or fracture risk and to sum up the current knowledge on the association between night shift work and osteoporosis among workers. A search of the literature was conducted in order to identify proper studies using PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier, and Springer databases. A total of 31 articles were identified. The articles were divided to 2 groups of papers assessing the bone fracture risk and osteoporosis among caffeinated beverages drinkers (24 studies) and assessing bone strength in night shifts workers (7 studies). Findings from studies assessing the relationship between caffeine consumption and bone strength appear inconsistent. However, the results of the some presented studies highlight that high caffeine intake increases bone loss. Thus development of osteoporosis among night workers exposed to light during nighttime might be accelerated by high caffeine consumption. No epidemiological study has examined the effect of caffeine intake on the bone fracture risk among night shifts workers yet. There is a great need to better understand the etiology of osteoporosis among workers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2025;38(5):474-94.