Can coffee consumption affect the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

Coffee can be considered as the most widely consumed beverage with a pharmacological effect worldwide, and the caffeine contained

therein as the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance. The results of experimental as well as epidemiological studies investigating

the effect of coffee and/or caffeine on metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance indicate its positive effect; however, it is

always necessary to take into account the amount of the caffeinated drink consumed, the making of the drink, and possible diseases in the

patient who is to receive dietary advice from his physician. The mechanisms by which coffee exerts its positive effect are not, as yet, fully

understood. Our experimental results suggest that increased fatty tissue sensitivity to insulin effect, decreased build-up of triglycerides in the

liver, and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes may play a role in the mechanism of action of coffee on reducing the risk of developing

diabetes. Consuming three to five coffee cups a day has not been linked to a negative effect on health in human studies; on the contrary,

the results show that drinking filtered coffee may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. By contrast, what should be discouraged is

the consumption of so-called „soft“ drinks that contain caffeine only and also have a high sugar content which may negatively affect blood

pressure as well as the metabolic disorders accompanying the metabolic syndrome (MS) and type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: caffeine, high blood pressure, reduced diabetes risk.