Readers of this newsletter know of my passion to educate the masses about the danger fragile bones can bring to a woman's life (fifty percent of all women over age 50 will have an osteoporosis based fracture before they die and seven percent of women who have osteoporosis don't know it).

The revised and updated copy of my book (with Beverly Whipple, PhD), SMART WOMEN, STRONG BONES, reports that the jury continues to be "out" when it comes to caffeine and bones. Now there's a new study that indicates caffeine may accelerate bone loss in postmenopausal women. In a study of 96 women in their 60's and 70's those getting more than the equivalent of 3 cups of coffee a day lost more bone from their spines over 3 years than women consuming less. (The researchers accounted for differences in smoking, alcohol and calcium intake.)

The same study also showed a strong genetic component to bone loss in women who had specific variation of the vitamin D receptor gene important to assuring absorption of bone-necessary calcium.

Although the research will need to be repeated in other groups women (and the men who love them) should take notice. Moderate your caffeine intake and be sure to get adequate calcium in your diet or via supplementation.

Your life depends on it.

For your discounted copy of the revised and updated for 2001 copy of SMART WOMEN STRONG BONES go to www.rondagates.com and look for my PBS special on osteoporosis in the fall of this year.