Decaffeinate Your Diabetes

Milk or cream? Sugar or sweetener? If you're a coffee or tea lover, you've always been faced with choices. Researchers now believe that caffeine may play a role in the development of diabetes, presenting your most important decision yet: to choose a traditional or decaf blend.

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.

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.

Diabetes patients know that it's important to lower blood glucose levels. Healthy levels can easily be maintained by eating the right foods and exercising regularly. Now, these new medical findings suggest that reducing or eliminating caffeine is another way to control diabetes.

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.

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.

Traditionally, caffeine intake was a concern only for older patients. Unfortunately, young adults and even teenagers are at risk of consuming too much caffeine. Soft drink companies are now marketing "power drinks" to these young consumers. This rather sad "energy drink" craze has resulted in some juices and bottled waters with added caffeine, as well as high-powered teas sold by respected tea manufacturers.

If you have diabetes, or are concerned with preventing the disease, you need to know that there is a definite link between caffeine and diabetes. Talk to your doctor, and take steps to reduce your caffeine intake. Better yet, eliminate caffeine from your diet altogether.

Author Phillip Blunzon contributes articles to a variety of well-known Internet magazines, on senior health and personal health care issues.
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