Caffeine causes several reactions in the body that are related to multiple systems. You can feel its effects on your mood and brain function. You may feel less tired and more alert. Caffeine also stimulates the nervous system that can directly impact insulin in your body. Your pancreas releases insulin when blood sugar levels rise to restore them to normal levels. Caffeine's effects on your body's flight-or-fight responses affect energy levels and in turn, blood glucose levels.
Energy Production
Since blood sugar influences insulin release, caffeine's effects may be explained by how it alters your body's ability to use energy. A study by the University of Guelph in Canada, published in the June 1992 issue of the “American Journal of Physiology,” found that caffeine ingested prior to exercise caused an increased reliance on circulating free fatty acids during the first 15 minutes of exercise for energy rather than stored sugars in the form of glycogen. This means that with less circulating blood sugar, less insulin would be released to control its concentration.
Caffeine and Endurance
Caffeine may indirectly affect insulin through weight management and athletic endurance. The effects of the changes in energy usage during exercise can increase endurance, explains a statement by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, published in the January 2010 issue of the “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.” By increasing your endurance, you may exercise longer and burn more calories. This can improve your efforts at weight management. Being overweight increases your risk of diabetes, a condition marked by a decrease in the body's ability to respond to insulin.
Caffeine and Insulin Resistance
Even more compelling is the fact that caffeine may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar control by decreasing insulin resistance. An individual who is insulin resistant will not respond appropriately to insulin release. This condition will increase blood sugar and workload on the kidneys. A study by the Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal, published in the June 2011 issue of the “British Journal of Nutrition,” found that caffeine prevented the development of insulin resistance in rats feed either a high-fat or high-sugar diet.
Caffeine Benefits
The growing body of evidence regarding caffeine and insulin has provided new insight into possible medical applications. A study by the University of Shizuoka in Japan, published in the February 2009 issue of “Physiology and Behavior,” found that caffeine and green tea provided protective benefits to brain and pancreas function in experiments done with mice fed a high-fat diet. These findings suggest that the health benefits of caffeine extend beyond decreasing insulin resistance.
References
- LEDA at Harvard Law School; Reconsidering Caffeine; David Mrazik; April 27, 2004
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology"; G. Tortora et al.; 2005
- “American Journal of Physiology"; Caffeine Ingestion and Muscle Metabolism During Prolonged Exercise in Humans; L. Spriet, et al.; June 1992
- "International Society of Sports Nutrition"; International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Performance; E. Goldstein, et al.; January 2010
- "British Journal of Medicine"; Chronic Caffeine Intake Decreases Circulating Catecholamines and Prevents Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance and Hypertension in Rats; S. Conde, et al.; June 2011
- “Physiology and Behavior"; Protection of Brain and Pancreas from High-Fat Diet: Effects of Catechin and Caffeine; K. Unno, et al.; February 2009
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