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3 Ways In Which Coffee Impacts Diabetes

Coffee is good news for diabetes, only if you do not have it. Yes, coffee impacts diabetes… negatively! For people with diabetes and prediabetes, coffee spells nothing but trouble. Not having coffee seems like a contradiction in terms, but it is precisely what research indicates.

Coffee has thousands of natural enzymes including caffeine that affect the body in many ways. Coffee drinkers have high levels of SHBG hormone, i.e. Sex Hormone Binding Globulin. Research has shown that people with high levels of SHBG hormone do not tend to develop diabetes. This conclusive research proves the protective benefits of coffee, but only if you already do not have the disease.

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Researchers have found that coffee may aid in inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes. From my knowledge, coffee is known to contain polyphenols, a chemical with an antioxidant property that may help people living with type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD

If you have diabetes or you are prediabetic, then coffee is undoubtedly bad for you.

Here are three upsetting ways in which drinking coffee impacts diabetes

1. Spike in blood sugar and insulin levels

Coffee increases both blood sugar levels and insulin levels in the body. The caffeine present in coffee is responsible for this rise. This means that coffee will boost sugar levels that are already high in people with diabetes. In diabetes, the body is unable to manage high sugar levels. The cells cannot absorb the glucose required for their functioning. The glucose levels in the bloodstream increase rapidly after meals, and the liver is unable to store this excess blood glucose.

2. Avoid post-meal coffee

Caffeine is a known stimulant naturally found in coffee and tea. Coffee increases blood sugar levels not just after having coffee but also after meals in people with diabetes.

3. Coffee wreaks havoc on glucose levels

Coffee increases insulin resistance in people with diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin, or it has become resilient to the function of insulin. In either case, coffee increases the resistance to insulin and plays havoc with glucose levels in the body.

High levels of insulin can damage the kidneys, nervous system, and even vision.

Also Read: Decoding Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?

Control your coffee intake if you have diabetes. Decaffeinated coffee is an option for those who cannot do without their daily fix of java, but it must be consumed in moderation. Research on the effect of decaffeinated coffee on diabetes is contradictory and inconclusive.

Other than polyphenols, coffee has the minerals magnesium and chromium. Researchers have found that lower incidences of type 2 diabetes have been associated with higher magnesium consumption. In my opinion, one may consider consuming 3-4 cups of unsweetened coffee a day with a doctor’s consent.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

Ways to Control Diabetes Regardless of Your Coffee Consumption.

There are a few well-known, tested and science-backed ways to manage your blood sugar if you are already diabetic. These can help you regardless of your coffee consumption. 

1. Diet

If your diet consists of low sugar, low glycemic index foods then the risk of your blood sugar spiking is decreased by a large factor. This can also help you to slow down or reverse weight gain. That brings us to our next point.

2. Weight management

Reducing your weight has been one of the leading factors in long-term diabetes management. People who manage their weight properly and consume a diabetes-safe diet are known to have virtually halted their diabetes and live healthy, normal lives.  

PharmEasy Recommends: Everherb Diabetic Care Juice

3. Exercise

Exercising plays a role in both weight management as well as controlling your body’s levels of blood sugar. Regular physical activity can also help against the negative effects of diabetes, such as reducing the risk of heart disease.  

Want to manage your diabetes effectively? Book your free diabetes consultation from our experts!

If you do not have diabetes but have a family history of diabetes, then regular consumption of decaffeinated coffee may help delay the onset of diabetes and may even protect you from developing the disease.

Read More: 4 Best Foods For Diabetics

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation

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4 Ways To Manage Your Diabetes Related Expenses

Diabetes is growing at an alarming rate, India is home to more than 65 million people with the disease, compared to only 50.8 million in 2010. Demographic transition, rapid urbanisation and lifestyle modifications are major causes for a boost in the driving forces that lead to diabetes. By 2030, India’s diabetic patient’s numbers are expected to cross the 100 million mark as predicted by a 2012 report by the International Diabetes Federation. The cost of diabetes seems to have doubled in the past decade! Managing Diabetes can be a  pricey affair but by implementing a few clever tips and following a proper regime you can reduce the cost of diabetes expense. Here is how you can do it.Generic Brands Provide a Cheaper SubstituteThough ”generic” insulin analogues are not yet available, many pills for type 2 diabetes are accessible as common brands. For example, a bottle of 500 mg, 60 tablets branded Glucophage tablets costs about Rs. 5000, while the same quantity of generic metformin (having the same active ingredient) costs as little as rupees Rs. 500. Different Insulin Types Have Changeable Cost/Benefit RatiosThere are now many types of insulin available for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Human insulin, such as Novolin or Humulin, can considerably lower the cost of diabetes treatment compared to analogue insulin. Doctors have pointed out that analogue insulin can reduce hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes by about 25%, but with the added cost of around 30,000 rupees per year as compared to using human insulin. If you have insurance coverage, this may be worth the cost, although it is understandable that it can be a difficult expenditure for those without coverage.Also Read: “Diet Alert: Foods To Avoid While Taking Metformin”Some Supplies Can Be ReusedThis is one tip to be extra cautious with, but extending or reusing supplies can help stretch their lifetime of use as far as they are required. For example, some people decide to wear their CGM sensors past the recommended time of seven days and see no drop in accurateness or reliability. Lancets are also another item that patients usually reuse instead of using a new lancet for each finger. This is, of course, dependent on your comfort level and financial situation.Carefully Monitoring and Managing Blood Glucose can Help Prevent the Huge costs of HypoglycemiaWell-managed blood glucose may prevent a whole mass of potentially expensive latent complications. Severe hypoglycemic events are also costly, with an average cost of up to lakhs of rupees for inpatient admission and around 20 to 50 thousand for an emergency department visit. As with everything, prevention is the surest way to avoid risky or costly situations. Multiple management strategies exist, so make sure to discuss what strategy works best for your diabetes management and your budget with your doctor or physician.Read More: 5 Ways to Control Diabetes NaturallyDisclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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