Caffeine intake at mealtimes is bad for people with Type 2 Diabetes

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 26 Jul 2004 - 12:00 PST

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A new study shows that people with Type 2 Diabetes suffer increased glucose and insulin levels if they drink coffee during their meals. It seems that the caffeine interferes with their bodies' ability to manage blood sugar.

The study was carried out at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina, USA. The scientists found that there was a strong correlation between caffeine intake during meal times and raised glucose and insulin levels among patients with Type 2 Diabetes. The scientists went as far as saying that people with Type 2 Diabetes should seriously consider reducing and even eliminating their coffee intake during meals.

You can read about this study in the journal Diabetes Care.

The USA has 17 million diabetics, of which 90% are Type 2 (American Diabetes Association).

What is type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use the hormone insulin, made in the pancreas, to help them process blood glucose into energy.

People develop type 2 diabetes because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly. Eventually, the pancreas cannot make enough insulin for the body's needs. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy. Over the years, high blood glucose damages nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, gum infections, and amputation.

Type 1 diabetes is different. People with Type 1 diabetes were born with it. People with Type 2 Diabetes develop it - often as a result of their lifestyle.

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