Can Caffeine Cause Diabetes?
by Phillip Blunzon
Diabetes is a disease that has long plagued patients around the world; yet despite the history and prevalence of the condition, it continues to mystify doctors, researchers and patients. One mystery is the correlation between diabetes and caffeine.
In Japan, researchers have claimed that those who take caffeine in the form of coffee or green tea may reduce the risk of diabetes. Medical experts, on the other hand, now claim that caffeine can pose a higher risk for diabetes. A study conducted on participants aged 40 to 65 who drank black, green and oolong teas showed that drinking at least three or more cups of these caffeinated beverages each day could result in a 33 percent reduction in their risk of diabetes. Other substances in coffee, however, can have negative effects on the body's metabolism, creating other health problems. Modern research suggests that it's advisable to avoid caffeine in order to reduce the risk of diabetes.
There is a proven correlation between caffeine and insulin production. Insulin is a component produced by the body to convert glucose into energy. Researchers at a university medical center have found that drinking caffeine with meals resulted in increased insulin and glucose levels in those patients with Type 2 diabetes. People with diabetes who drink caffeinated beverages with their meals suffered from hindered metabolisms, while participants who fasted during the study presented no change in glucose or insulin levels.
The goal for diabetics is to keep their blood glucose levels down. Healthy diet and exercise are important ways to control glucose levels, but caffeine elimination is also a very important consideration.
Diabetes prevents the body from controlling sugar levels in the blood. For many patients, the body does not produce sufficient insulin. Other patients suffer with a hormone that resists insulin. The caffeine in coffee and tea has been shown to have a direct negative effect on insulin levels. There is another way that caffeine can pose a risk to diabetics.
Caffeine also creates a chemical called alloxan. This free radical generator is a known cause of diabetes, aging and other diseases. Alloxan not only poisons important insulin-creating cells, but also causes damage to the pancreas and may ultimately lead to pancreatic cancer. When we drink caffeine we are allowing our bodies to create more alloxan, increasing the risk or developing diabetes or making an existing condition worse.
Even though the consumption of caffeine can contribute to many health concerns and diseases, people around the world continue to thrive on it. Caffeine is present in tea, coffee, soft drinks, chocolate and many diet and energy supplements. People who drink several cups of coffee, tea or soft drinks on a daily basis are taking in massive doses of harmful alloxan. Even decaffeinated beverages contain some caffeine and, therefore, certain levels of alloxan. Everyone should limit their caffeine intakes, particularly those at risk of, or suffering from, diabetes.
Caffeine intake used to be a health issue reserved for older patients. Now, younger people are facing the same dangers. The soft drink industry is, sadly, marketing "power drinks" with dangerously high levels of caffeine to consumers in the age 15-21 demographic. Some juices and even bottled waters are infused with caffeine, and even respected tea manufacturers are producing "high-powered" teas that are packed with caffeine.
If you are interested in preventing the onset of diabetes, consider lowering your caffeine intake. If you already suffer with the disease, speak with your doctor about the correlation between caffeine and diabetes. For your good health, take steps to reduce caffeine. For optimal health, eliminate it from your diet altogether.
Author Phillip Blunzon writes for a variety of popular online magazines, on senior health and personal health care themes. Click here to get your own unique version of this article.
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