A recent story on the relationship between caffeine and insulin resistance.

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Ontario researchers look for link between type 2 diabetes and caffeine

GUELPH, Ont. (CP) - Researchers at three Ontario universities are studying the link between caffeine and type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes in Canada.

"The statistics in Canada and the western world are startling," says Prof. Terry Graham of the University of Guelph, who, along with researchers at Queen's and Waterloo are conducting the three-year study."Cases are becoming increasingly common, and at younger age groups. We're finding caffeine can have an unhealthy effect on insulin levels for people already at risk."

Type-2 diabetes accounts for 90 per cent of the diabetes in Canada. Those with the disease can still produce insulin - the body's blood glucose regulator - but Graham says they can't produce enough to "get the job done," and they often have to take drugs to help manage blood sugar levels.

He says the two biggest risk factors are inactivity and obesity. And there has been a sharp increase in type-2 diabetes in younger people in western populations.

While it was once described as maturity onset, it's now common among people in their 40s, and increasing obesity in children suggests it will continue to affect younger age groups.

Graham's concern is based on his previous studies involving caffeine's impact on exercise metabolism using two groups of university-aged men - one group called "lean," and the other "obese." The subjects were tested using an oral glucose tolerance test, conducted with and without prior caffeine ingestion.

"Ideally, you want to produce the least amount of insulin to get your body's glucose level down to normal," Graham says. "We found that obese individuals have a resistance to insulin, which means they require higher levels of insulin to adjust their glucose levels. When given caffeine, their insulin levels go through the roof."

This research focused on short-term effects of caffeine. But the new project will study some long-term effects surrounding caffeine and type-2 diabetes. Among other long-term effects, the researchers will be looking for signs that the body adapts in habitual caffeine users.

"Caffeine is often thought of as a benign drug," says Graham, "and in many ways, it is. But from what we've seen so far, this research could lead to important potential treatment for diabetics."

Caffeine's effect on insulin in the presence of high blood sugar had been shown before. I posted to another member some time ago on this question here.For a glucose tolerance test, a person will have been fasting for 8 to 12 hours, then a dose of pure glucose in water is consumed and blood levels drawn at specific intervals over the next few hours. Only water is consumed for the duration of the test. The dose of pure glucose is 75 to 100 grams for an adult.

I wish they'd do a study on the effects of caffeine on lowcarbing. In Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution, there is no restriciton of caffeine ... and Bernstein is very meticulous about patients testing blood sugar frequently, especially after meals (post prandial) .. and about maintaining tight, tight control to keep the numbers low.It'll be interesting to see if the researchers choose to ignore the high carb intake ... especially in light of the recent recommendations from the American Diabetic Association, which tell diabetics that cake and jam and sugar are just fine to eat. Wa'il posted that article here.

Doreen

Nice post... I did a quick search to see if this topic had been discussed, but didn't search back to april .

I get the impression that caffeine increases insulin resistance, as opposed to purely stimulating release of excess insulin. A bit of a semantic difference I suppose, but without the carbs->glucose in the bloodstream it may be less of an issue for low-carbers. Like you, I'd like to see a study designed to look into that specifically.



And they wonder why fewer and fewer people are listening to them anymore? Since I've started reading and analysing different viewpoints, I'm much more skeptical about anything said by the purported experts (including low-carb too!) until I can come to my own conclusions

Brett.

I know what you mean. This is the same frustration we have with the arguments about eating a high fat diet ... ie, high meaning > 30%, the current limit that "experts" suggest for good health.

They carry out all these studies and research ... often with taxpayers' money ... to prove over and over that fat will kill us. Over and over the results come back --- eating donuts, fast food junk, potato chips, pizza, ice cream, rich desserts and all the other high fat goodies --- will indeed lead to health problems, cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, etc, etc, etc. Nobody can deny it, the proof is obvious. Yet over and over these experts choose to turn a blind eye to 50% of the equation ... the CARBS and sugar that are packaged with the fat.

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Ya gotta wonder why??

Doreen