Caffeinated Coffee Increases Blood Sugar

Is it safe to drink coffee when your have diabetes? This is a controversial topic. Coffee is known to prevent the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, but various research claim that it's caffeine content can mess up with the body's ability to use glucose for energy, which can lead to high blood glucose level.

Caffeine can increase blood sugar
Caffeine can increase blood sugar

@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan

Caffeine decreases our body's ability to respond to the glucose lowering effect of insulin, which can potentially increase blood sugar level especially among people with diabetes mellitus.

Caffeine decreases insulin sensitivity, thus increasing insulin resistance.

Insulin sensitivity refers to the body being able to respond to the effect of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which enables the transport of glucose into the cells of the body. When an individual eats a meal, blood sugar level rises so the pancreas release insulin into the blood stream to counteract this thereby, maintaining balance.

People with type 2 diabetes have decrease sensitivity to the effect of insulin. It is said that they have insulin resistance.

Did you know that your brain and liver don't need insulin to use glucose for energy.

Caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity

When we ingest caffeine, our cells become less sensitive to the effect of insulin. Insulin facilitates the transport of glucose from the blood into the cells of the body where these will be converted to energy. Because our cells become less responsive to insulin, glucose accumulates in the blood stream resulting to high blood sugar level or hyperglycemia.

Caffeine can be found in food products like chocolate, tea, and carbonated beverages, but most people usually get their daily dose of caffeine from coffee. An average person usually consumes roughly 300mg of caffeine in a single day. That is equivalent to 3 cups of regular coffee.

A study by Keijzers and colleagues reveals that caffeine can decrease insulin sensitiy in healthy humans by 15%. The cause of decreased response to insulin is hypothesized to be caused by an increase in epinephrine level brought about by caffeine.

Drinking coffee can result to an increase in blood sugar level

Caffeinated vs. Decaffeinated

Research by Moisey and colleagues reveals that ingesting caffeinated coffee significantly increases insulin resistance compared with taking decaffeinated coffee.


Benefits of Coffee

Studies also shows that coffee helps decrease risk of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and even diabetes mellitus itself. Coffee is a rich source of antioxidants which does have proven benefits.

Decaffeinated coffee may be the best alternative for people with diabetes since it contains the health benefits of coffee, but without the insulin resistance brought about by caffeine.


Resources:

Shi, Xiuqin et al. “Acute Caffeine Ingestion Reduces Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy Subjects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrition Journal 15 (2016): 103. PMC. Web. 6 June 2018.

Keijzers, G., et al. "Caffeine Can Decrease Insulin Sensitivity in Humans." Diabetes Care 2002 Feb; 25(2): 364-369. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.25.2.364

Biaggioni, I., & Davis, S. "Caffeine: A Cause of Insulin Resistance?" Diabetes Care 2002 Feb; 25(2): 399-400. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.25.2.399

Moisey L., et al. "Caffeinated coffee consumption impairs blood glucose homeostasis in response to high and low glycemic index meals in healthy men." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008 May;87(5):1254-61

van Dam, R. et al. "Effects of Coffee Consumption on Fasting Blood Glucose and Insulin Concentrations
Randomized controlled trials in healthy volunteers" Diabetes Care 2004 Dec; 27(12): 2990-2992. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.27.12.2990


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