Coffee May Combat Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers Probe Java's Punch
Updated: 12:34 pm EDT July 6,2005
BOSTON -- The drink that fuels many of us in the morning may also help protect us from type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.
While many health experts say a lot of coffee is not healthy, new research finds it may have at least one beneficial effect, reported WCVB-TV in Boston.
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking a lot of coffee can do a lot of good for people at risk of the disease."Almost all of these studies have confirmed as an observation that excessive coffee drinking or regular excessive coffee drinking is associated with a reduced risk for the development of type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Martin Abramson, of Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.Researchers reviewed a body of earlier studies on coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. They found that people who drank four to six cups of coffee per day had a 35 percent lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes than those who drank two cups or less per day. The results are published in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.One of the study's authors said it's unclear why so much coffee helps, but it's not just the caffeine."Coffee also contains minerals and even vitamins and several plant compounds," some of which have been shown to improve the body's ability to deal with glucose, said Dr. Rob van Dam, of Harvard School of Public Health.What researchers do know is decaffeinated coffee had the same effect as regular -- and how you take your cup o' joe doesn't change its effect: People who drank very light coffee and those who drank very strong coffee reaped the same benefits, van Dam said.But researchers and doctors agree that drinking more coffee is not the best way to prevent diabetes."You get more so-called bang for your buck when you lose a few pounds and exercise more than if you drink a few more cups of coffee," Abramson said.Although researchers say more studies on coffee consumption and diabetes risk are necessary, one proved way to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and take a brisk half-hour walk six days a week.
Video: Coffee May Ward Off Type 2 Diabetes
Interactive: Inside Diabetes Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking a lot of coffee can do a lot of good for people at risk of the disease."Almost all of these studies have confirmed as an observation that excessive coffee drinking or regular excessive coffee drinking is associated with a reduced risk for the development of type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Martin Abramson, of Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.Researchers reviewed a body of earlier studies on coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. They found that people who drank four to six cups of coffee per day had a 35 percent lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes than those who drank two cups or less per day. The results are published in Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.One of the study's authors said it's unclear why so much coffee helps, but it's not just the caffeine."Coffee also contains minerals and even vitamins and several plant compounds," some of which have been shown to improve the body's ability to deal with glucose, said Dr. Rob van Dam, of Harvard School of Public Health.What researchers do know is decaffeinated coffee had the same effect as regular -- and how you take your cup o' joe doesn't change its effect: People who drank very light coffee and those who drank very strong coffee reaped the same benefits, van Dam said.But researchers and doctors agree that drinking more coffee is not the best way to prevent diabetes."You get more so-called bang for your buck when you lose a few pounds and exercise more than if you drink a few more cups of coffee," Abramson said.Although researchers say more studies on coffee consumption and diabetes risk are necessary, one proved way to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and take a brisk half-hour walk six days a week.
Study AbstractDistributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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