Coffee May Reduce Diabetes Risks

Previous studies suggest a variety of health effects of the regular consumption of coffee.  Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, from Harokopio University (Greece), and colleagues analyzed data collected on a random sample of 1,514 men and 1,528 women, ages 18 years and older, enrolled in the  in the ATTICA study (Athens metropolitan area, Greece).  Subjects were surveyed about coffee drinking frequency:  drinking less than 1.5 cups of coffee per day was termed “casual” coffee drinking (816 subjects), and more than 1.5 cups per day was “habitual” drinking (355 subjects); there were 239 non-coffee drinkers. The participants also had blood tests to evaluate levels of protein markers of inflammation.  Ten years later, 191 participants developed diabetes, including 13% of the men and 12% of the women in the original group. Data analysis revealed that habitual coffee drinkers were 54% less likely to develop diabetes compared to non-coffee drinkers, even after accounting for confounding factors.  Specifically, the researchers observed that higher coffee consumption associated with lower levels of serum amyloid –an inflammatory marker. Writing that: “This work highlights the significance of long-term habitual coffee drinking against diabetes onset,” the study authors submit that: “The anti-inflammatory effect of several coffee components may be responsible for this protection.”