Blog

Is it true that coffee can actually improve glucose metabolism and fat loss?

Posted By: Paul Cribb Ph.D. CSCS on 11/05/2010

Yet another study had linked coffee consumption to improved health. In this new study, men and women who drank coffee and other caffeinated beverages were less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who did not drink caffeine-containing beverages.

However, the authors stressed that their findings did not prove that drinking coffee lowers the risk of diabetes (a disease characterized by poor glucose metabolism). However, the researchers did confirm that there is a clear link between caffeine consumption and improved glucose tolerance (a higher degree of muscle insulin sensitivity).

This study was conducted by U.S. scientists and published in an issue of Annuals of Internal Medicine. The data was taken from a study of more than 126,000 men and women who reported their intake of coffee and other caffeinated beverages every two to four years over a period of 12 to 18 years. These participants did not have diabetes, cancer, or cardiovascular disease at the start of the research. Results showed a “statistically significant” protective effect of caffeine against type-2 diabetes.

A number of health benefits from moderate caffeine consumption are emerging from the research. Caffeine’s positive effect on glucose metabolism is just one of them. These positive health benefits of caffeine are real food (or drink) for thought.