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Cutting out caffeine 'could help to control diabetes'

28/01/2008

People with diabetes may be able to control their condition by cutting out caffeine from their diet, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the Duke University Medical Centre say they have found that daily consumption of caffeine in coffee, tea or soft drinks increases blood sugar levels for people with type two diabetes.

The scientists also argue that caffeine may undermine efforts to control the disease.

They studied ten people with established type two diabetes. Each person drank at least two cups of coffee every day and was trying to manage their disease through diet, exercise and oral medications, but no extra insulin.

During the trial participants took capsules containing caffeine equal to about four cups of coffee on one day and then a placebo (dummy) capsule on another day.

Everyone had the same nutrition drink for breakfast and then they were free to eat what they liked for lunch and dinner.

Writing in the journal Diabetes Care, the researchers say that when participants consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up by eight per cent.

Caffeine also exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals: increasing by nine per cent after breakfast; 15 per cent after lunch; and 26 per cent after dinner.

Lead researcher Dr James Lane says the study is the first to track the impact of caffeine consumption as patients go about their normal, everyday lives and provides more evidence to suggest eliminating caffeine from diets could be a good way to manage blood sugar levels.

"We're not sure what it is about caffeine that drives glucose levels up, but we have a couple of theories," Dr Lane said.

"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. 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 researchers conclude that further studies should be undertaken to test the findings to see if dietary guidelines for diabetic patients should be reconsidered.