Recent studies have found numerous benefits to drinking a modest amount of coffee each day. The prominent journal Diabetes Care published a report this month stating drinking coffee lowers one's risk for developing Type 2 or adult onset diabetes.
Adult onset diabetes develops over a period of time. It starts as a carbohydrate intolerance, and ends with decreased production of insulin by the pancreas, now unable to keep blood sugar in check. Type 2 diabetics can have dangerously high blood sugar levels if untreated.
Researchers at the University of California in San Diego wanted to examine the relationship between coffee consumption and Type 2 diabetes, if any. They gathered data on more than 900 men and women over the age of 50 who had not been previously diagnosed with diabetes. Some of the participants had a condition known as impaired glucose tolerance, which can preceed diabetes.
On two occasions information about coffee consumption, both caffienated and decaf, was obtained. The two sessions were about 8 years apart. Then information about diabetes and blood sugar was collected.
Coffee drinkers, regardless of caffeinated or decaffienated, were more than 60 percent less likely to have developed diabetes (adult onset) over the eight year period. This was even true for those who had impaired glucose tolerance at the beginning of the study.
The study did not categorize the coffee drinkers based on quantity, so a specific amount of cups per day could not be labeled as better or worse. Past studies had found benefit from about 3 cups per day but not more than 6 cups per day. The authors noted that most were moderate drinkers, and not heavy consumers of coffee.
The reason or mechanism behind coffees protective benefits in this study could not be determined. It is possible that the high amounts of antioxidants in coffee could provide some benefit, but more studies will be needed to confirm any possibilities.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on November 7, 2006 03:27 PM
