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Caffeine and Diabetes Diabetes is a very common disease affecting children and adults around the world, yet there are still many mysteries and debates about diabetic treatments. For example, the jury is still out on the correlation between caffeine and diabetes.
Researchers in Japan have claimed that people who drink coffee or green tea can reduce their risk of diabetes. On the other hand, medical experts also claim that caffeine poses a higher risk for diabetes. A study was conducted on people between the ages of 40 and 65 who drank green, black or oolong tea. These researchers found that, based on the study, those who drank at least three or more cups of caffeine each day were able to reduce their risk of diabetes by 33 percent. However, other substances in coffee can have a negative effect on metabolism, causing other health problems.
Research conducted at a respected university medical centre suggested that drinking caffeine with meals would result in an increase in insulin and glucose levels in participants with Type 2 diabetes. Insulin is a naturally-occurring component in the body that converts glucose into energy. A person with diabetes who drinks caffeine with a meal may suffer from a hindered metabolism. Participants who fasted during the study showed no significant changes in their insulin or glucose levels.
Keeping blood glucose levels down in the goal of all diabetics. Smart lifestyle choices, like a healthy diet combined with exercise, are important to controlling these glucose levels. As a result of the recent medical research, it may also be necessary to eliminate caffeine from your diet.
When a patient suffers from diabetes, his or her body does not have the ability to control sugar levels in the blood. Many patients are also faced with the body's inability to produce sufficient insulin. Others have a hormone that resists insulin. All of these patients must be concerned with the amount of tea and coffee they ingest, as caffeine has been shown to have a direct negative effect on insulin levels.
Alloxan is a chemical that poisons the cells that produce insulin. Laboratory tests have shown that when mice were fed with alloxan, they developed diabetes. The cells that produce insulin were destroyed by the alloxan, resulting in the conditions for diabetes. Caffeine causes the body to produce alloxan naturally. Theoretically, caffeine consumption can lead to the production of alloxan, which in turn can cause diabetes or make the condition worse. Aside from poisoning our insulin-creating cells, alloxan is a free radical generator that causes aging and disease. Alloxan directly damages the pancreas, and may cause pancreatic cancer.
Caffeine is a contributor to many diseases but unfortunately our society thrives on it. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate, so those who drink several cups of coffee or several soft drinks a day are taking in massive doses of deadly alloxan on a daily basis. Even decaffeinated products will still contain a certain amount of caffeine. Everyone should limit caffeine intake, particularly people with 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.
Anyone interested in reducing the risk of developing diabetes, controlling an existing condition or simply living a healthier lifestyle must take steps to reduce or eliminate caffeine intake.
Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com Phillip Blunzon is a columnist for several popular online magazines, on health news and heart health subjects.
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