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• February 10, 2012 10:53 a.m.

  I had already decided to get off caffeine so I switched to decaf. Today I woke up with a sugar of 152. I had a cup of decaf with half/half and within 15 minutes my sugar was 194 and my head was spinning. It took a walk to bring it back down. So now I have to give up decaf. Why is this issue so hard to sort out? Isn't this what medical research is for?

  - Joedg319

• February 8, 2012 1:30 p.m.

  I love coffee too. I never considered it an enemy to my diabetes though until I read Nancy's Blog. I can't say yes or no if my blood sugar is better or worse after a cup. I can only hope not until there is a way to single out the effect of coffee only. My only guess would be its effect on our nervous system might ave cross-over implications.M

  - Sixwomen

• January 30, 2012 11:55 a.m.

  I drink 4 cups in a.m. and nothing else - it raises 30/40 it but I use cream...and it subsides before breakfast. Dang nab it... I am sick of the diabetic rollacoaster. Metformin upsets tummy - Actos made me nervy - Januvia quit working - now 20mg Lantus at bed time and (know better but...) had a bowl of cereal this am and 1.5 hrs after hit 310. Tuna for lunch and sugar testing 210. Lantus gave me a nice big menopot at 48! Anyone have advise to control without insulin as it makes me hungry and fat!

  - Amos

• January 29, 2012 9:29 a.m.

  Does this also apply to decaf coffee

  - John

• January 26, 2012 12:02 a.m.

  Wow. Sorry for those of you with the spike in blood sugar. I almost always have hypoglycemia with coffee. I do drink it black (like mom and dad drank it). I become very hungry, shaky, agitated, and if I don't eat with my coffee I do get nauseated and confused. The symptoms don't last too long because I eat or snack with coffee. Food and coffee has always gone together for me.

  - Cynthia

• January 25, 2012 3:44 p.m.

  I drink lots of coffee and it will make my sugar rise. That was befor I found out that powder coffee creamer is highly concentrated sugar.I found this by watching Myth Busters.They were looking for something that could a bigger explosion than saw dust, they used coffee creamer.It was the only experiment to get out of control on that show. Although it has not mention of sugar on the package because they call it another name when processed in that fashion,however it will be labeled as HIGhLY FLAMABLE

  - Elmer

• January 22, 2012 12:02 a.m.

  Coffee, tea, and chocolate all make my blood sugars spike. I have recently become a type 2 diabetic and tried to control the Pre-diabetic stage with diet for several years and a meter to help me with that control.

  - Marjorie

• January 5, 2012 3:11 a.m.

  Also, it is to be noted that I'm slow eater and a slow drinker. I don't usually finish a can of soda or a glass of coffee within the same hour that I start it so I haven't had the gigantic spikes in glucose that some people are reporting here. I am quite confident, however, that If I did down one in 20 minutes I'd probably be reeling at somewhere over 200, considering how I react to just a few sips.

  - H

• January 5, 2012 2:56 a.m.

  unexplainably high* is what I meant to type there, sorry.

  - H

• January 5, 2012 2:55 a.m.

  I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes about 2 weeks ago and about 3 weeks ago I started having issues with tiredness and grumpiness if I'd had a high carb meal. After watching my blood sugar every day I was having trouble figuring out how my blood glucose was sometimes explainably high for what was, on some days, up to hours at a time. Even when I cut my carb intake per meal in half, removed carbs completely or even just didn't eat my blood sugar would remain between 114 and 130 and I would feel completely wiped out until it finally went back down. The only thing that I consumed in those desperate cut back eating spurts were 0 calorie drinks. When those drinks contained any level of caffeine my blood glucose levels remained high and refused to reduce. Even 2 or 3 sips of coffee in the morning can ruin my entire day if I don't reign it in quickly. Now, I can drink a glass of chocolate milk and I'm fine but if I'm drinking anything with high concentrations of caffeine, like diet soda or coffee, then I might as well give up on eating for the whole day. I've noticed that the more I reduce my caffeine intake at each meal the less time my blood sugar remains high. I'm at the point now where I'm just going to ditch the caffeine all together until after this pregnancy when my body balances back out again.

  - H

• December 25, 2011 10:52 a.m.

  My husband has diabeties, he has been having trouble of a morning with his blood sugar level rising and then falling really fast, we have been really confused about what was going on with his blood sugar level, after reading your post on here, it seems coffee may be the culpret to some of his problems, he has just started drinking coffee with me in the morning and looking back it seems his worst problems started at that time.

  - Carolyn

• November 22, 2011 12:25 p.m.

  I feel that caffeine is not what diabetics or any who wants to avoid diabetes should be imbibing. Caffeine lowers your blood sugar. So then you become hungry especially if one is sedentary like most of us. The restaurateurs at one time had the bottomless cup which they found increased the sales of there product. Over eating is a big part of diabetes.

  - joseph

• November 15, 2011 8:42 a.m.

  Coffee increases blood sugar level from 120 when I wake up to over 200 in one hour. Tried decafe with the same result. in the evenings, I drink diet coke (with caffeine) and see no increase. There must be something else in coffee other than the caffeine that spikes the blood count. Now using green tea but it also increase to around 150.

  - Jon

• November 2, 2011 10:53 a.m.

  Caffeine is known to suppress hunger, which it absolutely does for me...so it may cause your blood sugar level to drop due to not eating. Also, as I feel the caffeine effects fading away hunger hits me like a ton of bricks and can result in binge-type-eating because I am so hungry...or at least I think I'm hungry...it's probably because my sugar level has hit the floor! I find coffee is okay for me in the evening but hits me much harder in the morning. Bummer.

  - carrie

• October 23, 2011 7:42 a.m.

  I believe when you suffer from depression and are (type 2) diabetic,this can be a dangerous combination. The depression can interfere with your willingness to care for your diabetic condition.

  - vincent

• October 21, 2011 8:52 p.m.

  I am not diagnosed with any form of diabetes, but after ingesting caffeine, I experience symptoms that resemble hypoglycemia, with hot/cold flashes, dizziness, pinpointing of pupils, and slight aphasia and confusion. I have mentioned these symps. to drs. and they have never given any particular cause beyond a rise in blood pressure (I am treated for hypertension). However, I have tested my bp during these odd spells and gotten low-normal readings, not high. Any ideas?

  - Mary

• October 1, 2011 12:02 a.m.

  I am a diabetic and on 2 insulins 30 Mil of Novalog 3 times a day and 50 Mil of Levimere twice a day. I also have the dextron monitor. Coffee spikes my sugar over 200 every morning. I can't take a day without the coffee caffiene in the morning :-(

  - Mary

• September 30, 2011 12:54 p.m.

  I was diagnosed about 5 years ago. I was a major coffee drinker, some 4-5 cups a day. I cut back to one a day on weekdays and 2 or 3 on Saturdays. I kept wondering why, on Saturdays, my blood sugar was so much higher when I tested 2 hours after breakfast, when i was eating the same thing at the same time. I figured out that the only thing I was doing differently was drinking more coffee. So, I switched to decaffeinated coffee, and presto! the 2 hour test was at the weekday levels. It doesn't seem to matter if I drink 2 cups of tea or Yerba Mate in the mornings, but the caffeinated coffee really does make my sugar spike.

  - Tessie

• September 30, 2011 9:13 a.m.

  I love coffee too! I was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes and quite frankly, I am very confused. My husband says my personality changes on occasion not for the better! I absolutely crave chocolate, pastries, ice cream and pie. I have NEVER had this craving before. Is this personality change related to pre-diabetes or am I just becoming a b----? I really don't want to give up my coffee as well as the pastries and chocolate.

  - Linda

• September 10, 2011 12:37 a.m.

  I am 58 and was diagnosed with diabetes at age 46. I have been wearing an insulin pump for the past 5 years. I can get up in the morning and have my blood glucose at 90 and drink 2 cups of black coffee (no food at all) and in 1 - 2 hours my glucose is at 150-160. This has stumped me as I can't figure how my blood sugar rises with no carb intake. This has been consistent every morning to the point that I adjust my insulin intake. I've wondered if others have experienced the same thing. My endocrinologist thinks it related to the adrenaline response.

  - Catherine

• September 8, 2011 1:59 a.m.

  I use coffee for low blood sugar incidents. I am type 1 since April and have had to completely forgo my beloved once a day cup even when I add soy milk instead of milk which is also spiker for me.

  - Kim

• August 19, 2011 6:35 p.m.

  My husband and I have been diagnosed Type 2, his A1C was 7 and mine 7.5. I have switched to caffine coffee, he has switched to sugar free RED BULL 20.oz can 77mg's per 8oz (2.5 serv x77mg= 192.5) per can and he drinks at least 4 cans a day..Geez this worries me. Is this not worse than a cup or two of coffee a day? Help..

  - Arlene

• August 10, 2011 9:57 a.m.

  I also enjoy coffee - everyday. I am a type 1 diabetic and have been for thirty years. The only rise in bloodsugar from drinking a cup of coffee would be if I add any special creamer or even some splenda to the cup. When drinking coffee plain I do not have any change in blood glucose. I drink two cups a day and have been following this routine for about three years now and nothing has happened but a nice quick pick me up in the morning which I always need. Coffee is fine atleast from a type 1's perspective.

  - Amy

• August 8, 2011 7:25 p.m.

  I LOVE COFFEE WITH HONEY AND ALMOND MILK. IS IT OK TO DRINK IF SOMEONE IS DIABETIC.

  - KATE

• July 18, 2011 12:25 a.m.

  Call me crazy (or lucky) but caffiene seems to LOWER my blood sugar. I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes (pregnancy diabetes) so I've only been testing my BS for a few months. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I drink Diet Coke sometimes with lunch or dinner and after those meals I test way lower than when I eat an identical meal and drink water. I wonder if the caffiene in coffee is somehow different than that added to soda.

  - Jennifer