Caffeine and blood sugar: What's the connection?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine-and-blood-sugar/MY01070
- With Mayo Clinic diabetes educators
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
Nancy Klobassa Davidson and Peggy Moreland
Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., B.S.N, C.D.E
Nancy Klobassa Davidson is a registered nurse who has worked in diabetes education for 17 years. She is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) and is currently in graduate school working on a Master of Science in nursing (M.S.N.) and health care education.Nancy works with adults who have type 1, type 2 and other forms of diabetes. Nancy is coordinator of the Diabetes Unit's intensive insulin therapy program within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Nancy has worked extensively with insulin pump therapy and continuous interstitial glucose sensing.
Peggy Moreland, R.N., M.S.N.
Peggy Moreland is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.Peggy graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Care Education from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association. A certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.), Peggy enjoys working with patients to set and achieve diabetes self-management goals.
Latest entries
- Still pricking your finger for blood glucose monitoring?
May 24, 2013
- Diabetes etiquette: When you don't have diabetes
May 2, 2013
- Coping with diabetes: Helping your loved one
April 24, 2013
- Types of diabetes
March 16, 2013
- Taking diabetes drugs
Feb. 27, 2013
Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Living with diabetes blog
-
Feb. 3, 2010
Caffeine and blood sugar: What's the connection?
By Nancy Klobassa Davidson, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
I love coffee; it's one of my favorite vices. The sight and smell of a cup of freshly brewed, rich, dark brown liquid java, first thing in the morning, is a sight to behold. Other than the caffeine, coffee seems like a pretty benign beverage. In fact, I've been hearing a lot of good things about it lately.
A large observational study recently found that people who drink coffee appear to have a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. An article in Diabetes Self-Management relates this reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes to the possibility of antioxidants in coffee.
In visiting with some patients, they say coffee causes their blood glucose to rise. That doesn't make any sense to me at first, because coffee without cream/sugar doesn't have any carbohydrates or calories.
"Caffeine impairs insulin action but not glucose levels in young, healthy adults, but people with type 2 diabetes may experience a small rise particularly after meals," says Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist. The amount of caffeine that causes this effect is about 250 milligrams — or the equivalent of 2 to 2 1/2 cups (473 to 591 milliliters) of plain, brewed coffee — a day.
Twenty years ago, a serving of coffee was 1 cup. Today, it's often 2 cups. Maybe we don't need to cut coffee completely out of our daily routine, just pay a little more attention to portions.
Doesn't it seem like about the only thing that doesn't affect your blood glucose is water?
Does anyone remember Mrs. Olsen from the 70's coffee commercials? I wonder if she had type 2 diabetes.
Please share whether caffeine affects your blood glucose.
Have a great week.
Regards,
Nancy
132 comments posted
Share on:
132 comments posted