David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Researchers link caffeine, blood sugar spikes
CBC News
Monday, January 28, 2008
Daily caffeine consumption may cause blood sugar levels to spike in people with Type 2 diabetes, undermining efforts to control the disease, a study suggests.
In findings published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, researchers from Duke University Medical Center report, "caffeine exaggerates glucose and insulin responses to standardized carbohydrate loads in habitual coffee drinkers who have type 2 diabetes."
Dr. James Lane, the study's lead author, said this is the first time researchers have been able to track the effects of caffeine on patients in everyday life.
The study looked at 10 coffee drinkers with Type 2 diabetes who control their disease through diet, exercise and oral medications.
The five men and five women were given caffeine pills, equivalent to roughly four cups of coffee, to take with breakfast and lunch. Their blood sugar levels were monitored with a glucose sensor.
The researchers found that when the patients consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight per cent. Additionally, the caffeine exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals, boosting it by nine per cent after breakfast, 15 per cent after lunch and 26 per cent after dinner.
Daily caffeine consumption may cause blood sugar levels to spike in people with Type 2 diabetes, undermining efforts to control the disease, a study suggests.
In findings published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, researchers from Duke University Medical Center report, "caffeine exaggerates glucose and insulin responses to standardized carbohydrate loads in habitual coffee drinkers who have type 2 diabetes."
Dr. James Lane, the study's lead author, said this is the first time researchers have been able to track the effects of caffeine on patients in everyday life.
The study looked at 10 coffee drinkers with Type 2 diabetes who control their disease through diet, exercise and oral medications.
The five men and five women were given caffeine pills, equivalent to roughly four cups of coffee, to take with breakfast and lunch. Their blood sugar levels were monitored with a glucose sensor.
The researchers found that when the patients consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight per cent. Additionally, the caffeine exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals, boosting it by nine per cent after breakfast, 15 per cent after lunch and 26 per cent after dinner.
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Lane said the research team was not sure why caffeine triggers a boost in blood sugar levels.
"It could be that caffeine interferes with the process that moves glucose from the blood and into muscle and other cells in the body where it is used for fuel," he said in a release. "It may also be that caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline ? the 'fight or flight' hormone that we know can also boost sugar levels."
The study said the research "raises concerns about the potential hazards of caffeinated beverages for patients with Type 2 diabetes" as consumption of tea, coffee or soft drinks could produce similar results.
The researchers said the blood sugar boost provided by caffeine could disrupt clinical efforts to control glucose levels and increase the risk of complications.
"Coffee is such a common drink in our society that we forget that it contains a very powerful drug ? caffeine. Our study suggests that one way to lower blood sugar is to simply quit drinking coffee, or any other caffeinated beverages. It may not be easy, but it doesn't cost a dime, and there are no side effects," Lane said.
CBC News
Monday, January 28, 2008
Daily caffeine consumption may cause blood sugar levels to spike in people with Type 2 diabetes, undermining efforts to control the disease, a study suggests.
In findings published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, researchers from Duke University Medical Center report, "caffeine exaggerates glucose and insulin responses to standardized carbohydrate loads in habitual coffee drinkers who have type 2 diabetes."
Dr. James Lane, the study's lead author, said this is the first time researchers have been able to track the effects of caffeine on patients in everyday life.
The study looked at 10 coffee drinkers with Type 2 diabetes who control their disease through diet, exercise and oral medications.
The five men and five women were given caffeine pills, equivalent to roughly four cups of coffee, to take with breakfast and lunch. Their blood sugar levels were monitored with a glucose sensor.
The researchers found that when the patients consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight per cent. Additionally, the caffeine exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals, boosting it by nine per cent after breakfast, 15 per cent after lunch and 26 per cent after dinner.
Daily caffeine consumption may cause blood sugar levels to spike in people with Type 2 diabetes, undermining efforts to control the disease, a study suggests.
In findings published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, researchers from Duke University Medical Center report, "caffeine exaggerates glucose and insulin responses to standardized carbohydrate loads in habitual coffee drinkers who have type 2 diabetes."
Dr. James Lane, the study's lead author, said this is the first time researchers have been able to track the effects of caffeine on patients in everyday life.
The study looked at 10 coffee drinkers with Type 2 diabetes who control their disease through diet, exercise and oral medications.
The five men and five women were given caffeine pills, equivalent to roughly four cups of coffee, to take with breakfast and lunch. Their blood sugar levels were monitored with a glucose sensor.
The researchers found that when the patients consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up eight per cent. Additionally, the caffeine exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals, boosting it by nine per cent after breakfast, 15 per cent after lunch and 26 per cent after dinner.
Continue Article
Lane said the research team was not sure why caffeine triggers a boost in blood sugar levels.
"It could be that caffeine interferes with the process that moves glucose from the blood and into muscle and other cells in the body where it is used for fuel," he said in a release. "It may also be that caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline ? the 'fight or flight' hormone that we know can also boost sugar levels."
The study said the research "raises concerns about the potential hazards of caffeinated beverages for patients with Type 2 diabetes" as consumption of tea, coffee or soft drinks could produce similar results.
The researchers said the blood sugar boost provided by caffeine could disrupt clinical efforts to control glucose levels and increase the risk of complications.
"Coffee is such a common drink in our society that we forget that it contains a very powerful drug ? caffeine. Our study suggests that one way to lower blood sugar is to simply quit drinking coffee, or any other caffeinated beverages. It may not be easy, but it doesn't cost a dime, and there are no side effects," Lane said.
It's two cups a day for me and no more.
