Caffeine and Diabetes: Caffeine may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and body fat.
Caffeine and Diabetes: According to academics, further investigation into the possible function of calorie-free caffeinated beverages may now be necessary.
According to a study published on March 14 in the open-access journal BMJ Medicine, a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes and body fat may be reduced by having a high blood caffeine level.
Caffeine may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes: The researchers conclude that in light of these findings, it is probably now worthwhile to investigate the possible contribution of calorie-free caffeinated beverages to reducing the risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Caffeine may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and body fat.
The researchers point out that prior studies show that consuming 3-5 cups of coffee per day, which is a good source of caffeine, is linked to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. About 70-150 mg of caffeine are present in a typical cup of coffee.
The majority of the published research, however, has focused on observational studies, which, due to the other potentially significant factors involved, cannot consistently show relevant implications.
Moreover, they note that it is challenging to separate any individual effects of caffeine from the other substances included in caffeinated meals and beverages.
Mendelian randomization was employed by the researchers to investigate the effects of increased blood caffeine levels on body fat, long-term risks of type 2 diabetes, and severe cardiovascular illnesses, including coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, and irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation).
Mendelian randomization is a method that gathers genetic evidence in favour of a certain outcome—in this example, weight (BMI) and type 2 diabetes risk—by using genetic variations as a proxy for a specific risk factor, in this case, blood levels of caffeine.
Over 10,000 participants in 6 long-term studies with a predominance of European ancestry were examined to determine the function of two common genetic variations of the CYP1A2 and AHR genes. The rate at which caffeine is metabolised by the body is influenced by the CYP1A2 and AHR genes.
Caffeine may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and body fat.
Individuals who inherit genetic variations connected with slow caffeine metabolism consume, on average, less coffee, yet have greater amounts of caffeine in their blood than persons who metabolise it fast to achieve or keep the levels necessary for its stimulant effects.
The findings of the investigation indicated that greater genetically predicted blood caffeine levels were related to decreased weight (BMI) and body fat.
A decreased risk of type 2 diabetes was also connected with higher genetically predicted blood caffeine levels.
The researchers then employed Mendelian randomization to further investigate whether any impact of caffeine on the risk of type 2 diabetes would be primarily caused by the simultaneous weight reduction.
Results indicated that 43% of the impact of caffeine on type 2 diabetes risk was driven by weight reduction.
Blood caffeine levels that are genetically predicted have not been found to significantly increase the risk of any of the cardiovascular disease outcomes under study.
The use of just two genetic variations and the inclusion of only individuals of European ancestry are two of the limitations mentioned by the researchers in their findings.
Yet, they point out that coffee is known to enhance metabolism, promote fat burning, and decrease hunger. Moreover, a daily dose of 100 mg has been shown to improve energy expenditure by around 100 calories, which may reduce the risk of becoming obese.
Caffeine may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and body fat.
The researchers claim that caffeine may, at least in part, explain the inverse relationship between coffee intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes.
“Randomized controlled studies are necessary to examine whether non-caloric caffeine-containing drinks could have a role in lowering the incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” they write in their conclusion.
SOURCE: “Appraisal of the causal effect of DOI: 10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000335
