The Effects of Coffee on Diabetes

Coffee, whether it contains caffeine or not, can have serious effects for a diabetic. Coffee affects hormone levels, and can elevate levels of stress hormones. Drinking coffee increases blood sugar levels for diabetics, particularly when the coffee is drunk while fasting. Higher levels of homocysteine can increase the risk for health problems, while mineral deficiencies take their toll in other aspects of the diabetic's health. Despite these risks, there is still a potential benefit in those who have not yet developed full-blown diabetes.

Stress Hormones

• Coffee containing caffeine raises levels of stress hormones, which sets off several chain reactions. Heart rate increases, which increases blood pressure. This, in turn, reduces the efficiency of the circulatory system, reducing the amount of oxygen provided to the brain and other extremities. In addition, one of the stress hormones that is increased with the consumption of caffeine, epinephrine, can reduce the effectiveness of insulin, which is used to lower the blood sugar levels of a diabetic.

Blood Sugar

• Caffeine reduces a diabetic's ability to regulate blood sugar without insulin injections, due to the fact that it raises blood sugar levels. It causes problems with the body's ability to successfully metabolize glucose, which results in a higher blood sugar level. Diabetics, already suffering from high blood sugar, are affected even when the caffeine is ingested with other food.

Homocystein Levels

• Coffee, whether caffeinated or decaffeinated, raises levels of homocysteine. Higher levels of this amino acid, naturally found in the bloodstream, can increase the chances of heart attack. A diabetic individual, already at increased risk for heart attack, is particularly vulnerable to this effect of coffee. In addition, homocysteine also raises the chances for a diabetic person to experience vision problems.

Mineral Deficiencies

• Coffee is a diuretic, and can cause excess urination, which results in the loss of many important minerals. In addition, it reduces the diabetic's ability to absorb magnesium and calcium, which interferes with many bodily functions, including the ability to metabolize glucose. In essence, the lowered levels of these minerals causes an individual's diabetes to become more pronounced, as they become more insulin resistant and less able to process glucose.

Considerations

• While coffee has been shown to be a health risk for current diabetics, there is information to suggest that pre-diabetics may benefit from a coffee habit. Regular coffee drinking appears to delay or prevent the onset of full-blown diabetes in the pre-diabetic individual, although the exact reason for this phenomenon is not yet fully understood.