Should Diabetics Drink Coffee?
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
An extensive survey reported in JAMA (July 6, 2005) showed that drinking
coffee reduces risk for developing type II diabetes. However, two recent
studies suggest that once you have diabetes, drinking coffee may be
unwise.
Canadian researchers writing in Diabetes Care (March 2005) showed that
caffeine significantly reduced insulin sensitivity. In the July 2005 issue
of the same journal, scientists from Duke University Medical Center
reported that drinking coffee could upset a diabetic’s ability to
metabolize sugar.
Blood sugar levels are supposed to rise after you eat. To keep your blood
sugar levels from rising too high, your pancreas releases insulin. The
researchers found that taking caffeine causes blood sugar and insulin
levels to rise even higher after meals. If your blood sugar rises too
high, sugar sticks to cells. Once sugar is stuck on a cell membrane, it
cannot be released and is converted to a poison called sorbitol which
destroys that cell.
High levels of insulin constrict arteries to cause heart attacks and act
directly on the brain to make you hungry, on your liver to make more fat,
and on the fat cells in your belly to pick up that fat. If these studies
are confirmed, diabetics will be advised to restrict coffee as well as
those foods that cause the highest rise in blood sugar after meals.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and
practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified
in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to
hundreds of his fitness and health reports at
http://www.DrMirkin.com
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