The best part of waking up
Caffeine negatively impacts blood sugar levels
As those of you who have been reading the eTips for awhile may know, I’ve never been much of a tea drinker. I know it’s one of the best beverages around for promoting good health, but I can’t help it: I’m a coffee lover, through and through. I love the stuff so much that my husband knows if he brings me a fresh, steaming-hot cup it will win him more points than dozens of roses. So it was a dark day in our house when I read the results of a recent study from Duke University Medical Center that suggested coffee may be a major culprit behind elevated blood sugar levels, making diabetes much harder to control — even with some of the natural approaches Dr. Wright has recommended for years.
The researchers examined the effects caffeine had in 10 people with type 2 diabetes who reported drinking at least two cups of coffee per day. All of the subjects were managing their condition with diet and exercise alone. On the first day of the study, the researchers gave the participants caffeine pills containing the equivalent of roughly four cups of coffee. The second day, the participants received placebo pills.
On the day the subjects took the caffeine pills, their average blood sugar levels increased by about 8 percent. The increases after each meal were even more striking: After breakfast, blood sugar went up 9 percent, after lunch, it rose by 15 percent, and after dinner it skyrocketed as much as 26 percent.
While the researchers aren’t completely certain why caffeine affected blood sugar this way, they theorized that it may interfere with the process that transports glucose from the blood to the parts of the body where it’s used for fuel. Another potential explanation is that caffeine causes the body to release adrenaline, which can increase blood sugar levels.
Granted, the study implicated caffeine itself, not just coffee, but it did take the biggest hit in terms of the subsequent advice the research team gave. The lead author of the study said “Our study suggests that one way to lower blood sugar is to simply quit drinking coffee” Then, as an afterthought, he added “or any other caffeinated beverage.” The article went on to say that “there are no current guidelines suggesting diabetics should not drink coffee, but [the study's lead author said] that one day they may come if further studies support their findings.”
I understand the concern, and though I probably won’t be giving up my morning cuppa joe anytime soon, I am willing to switch to decaf if it means protecting myself from blood sugar swings that could contribute to the onset of type 2 diabetes. But I think this particular article made coffee the primary scapegoat and didn’t spend enough time warning people about the other caffeinated beverages they should be avoiding — including black tea, which has been the subject of nearly as much critical acclaim as its green cousin.
The take-home message from these finding should be to switch to decaf for ALL your beverages. After all, as the study authors said “It may not be easy, but it doesn’t cost a dime, and there are no side effects.”
Source:
“Caffeine linked to higher glucose levels,” Food Navigator (www.foodnavigator.com), 1/29/08
