Does Caffeine Raise Blood Sugar Levels?

Last Updated: Mar 28, 2011 | By Tracey Roizman, D.C.

Caffeine, a bitter alkaloid compound, is found in the leaves, fruit and beans of a variety of plants. In plants, caffeine serves as a pesticide, protecting against insect attack by causing paralysis. In people, caffeine has a mild stimulatory effect on the central nervous system and is a popular, though controversial, drug. Research has shed light on the effect of caffeine on blood sugar levels.

Long-term caffeine consumption reduces risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the November 2009 issue of the journal "Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski." However, the researchers said that short-term consumption at high levels may impair insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels due to excessive nervous system stimulation. Also, evidence exists that caffeine causes increased risk for coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension, arterial stiffness and elevated levels of cholesterol and homocysteine -- an inflammatory molecule. The authors also note that genetic factors influence the way some people metabolize caffeine, resulting in protective effects for some and increased risk for others.

No need to lose your lunch-time latte, say the authors of a study published in the April 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." This study found that the time of day you drink coffee determines how much blood sugar regulating effect you will experience. In the study, nearly 70,000 coffee drinkers were followed for 11 years. Participants' coffee consumption habits, obtained by questionnaire, showed the greatest blood-sugar regulating effect was obtained by those who consumed coffee at lunch time. Total caffeine intake was also protective against type 2 diabetes. Tea and chicory -- a coffee alternative beverage -- were not associated with reducing diabetes risk in this study.

Caffeine and other compounds in coffee decrease low-level inflammation -- a risk factor for diabetes -- according to a study published in the April 2010 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Participants in the study stopped drinking coffee for one month then drank four cups per day for one month and eight cups per day for one month. Significant decrease in inflammatory molecules and adiponectin -- a hormone that helps regulate appetite, cholesterol and blood sugar. No changes occurred in glucose regulation as determined by a glucose challenge test, implying that coffee did not impair blood sugar regulation. Total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL -- the "good" form of cholesterol -- were increased, and the ratio of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL -- the "bad' form -- to HDL decreased, indicating a trend toward decreased overall cardiovascular risk.

A study published in the May 2010 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" found that caffeine prevented elevated blood sugar and improved insulin sensitivity. In the study on laboratory animals, coffee consumption for five weeks reduced levels of inflammatory molecules, decreased fat deposits in the liver and improved glucose metabolism. The researchers concluded that caffeine may be partly responsible for the anti-diabetic effects of coffee.

Does Caffeine Raise Blood Sugar Levels?

Long-term Consumption

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