Coffee, diabetes and insulin sensitivity
To the Editor: Two recently published studies have suggested that habitual consumption of coffee reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes [1, 2]. The mechanisms involved are unknown but are likely to relate to the effects of caffeine on insulin action. Although acute studies show that caffeine loading is associated with a reduction in insulin sensitivity, this effect appears to be lost following sustained consumption .
In type 1 diabetes, caffeine has been reported to enhance the symptomatic and hormonal responses to hypoglycaemia , but its effects on insulin sensitivity are unknown.
In 1999 a 33-year-old man, a long-term consumer of coffee, was converted to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion as part of a clinical trial. He developed type 1 diabetes at the age of 3, but apart from diabetic retinopathy, has remained well with HbA1c levels of between 7 and 8%. Recently, on two occasions separated by 2 weeks, he consumed his usual breakfast (a bowl of cereal) but kept the ...
- Yamaji T, Mizoue T, Tabata S et al (2004) Coffee consumption and glucose tolerance status in middle-aged Japanese men. Diabetologia 47:2145–2151 CrossRef
- Van Dam RM, Dekker JM, Nijpels G et al (2004) Coffee consumption and incidence of impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes: the Hoorn study. Diabetologia 47:2152–2159 CrossRef
- Arnlov J, Vessby B, Riserus U (2004) Coffee consumption and insulin sensitivity. JAMA 291:1199–1201 CrossRef
- Watson J, Jenkins E, Hamilton P, Kerr D (2000) Influence of caffeine on the frequency of hypoglycaemia among free-living patients with type-1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 23:455–459
- Watson J, Deary I, Kerr D (2002) Central and peripheral effects of sustained caffeine use: tolerance is incomplete. Br J Clin Pharmacol 54:400–406 CrossRef
- Watson J, Sherwin R, Deary I, Scott L, Kerr D (2003) Dissociation of augmented physiological, hormonal and cognitive responses to hypoglycaemia with sustained caffeine use. Clin Sci 104:447–454 CrossRef
- Coffee, diabetes and insulin sensitivity
Volume 48, Issue 7 , p 1418
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