| Coffee intake linked to lowerdiabetes risk | | | | the following 12 years, |
| Drinking coffee, especially when itis decaffeinated, | | | | 1,417 of the women reported on surveys, which |
| will be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 | | | | they had been newly diagnosedwith type 2 |
| diabetes,according to a report in the Sept 26 | | | | diabetes. After adjusting the data for some of |
| issue of Archives of Internal Medicine,one of the | | | | the other diabetesrisk factors, women who drank |
| JAMA/Archives journals. The link between coffee | | | | more than five cups of any type of coffee |
| and diabetes riskappears to be very consistent | | | | perday were 21 percent less likely than those |
| across different ages and body weights; in | | | | who drank no coffee to be diagnosedsuffering |
| addition,most research has found that the more | | | | from diabetes; those who drank more than five |
| coffee an individual drinks, the lowerhis or her risk | | | | cups of decaffeinatedcoffee per day had a 32 |
| for diabetes. However, it remains unclear whether | | | | percent reduction in risk compared with those |
| it is thecaffeine or any other ingredient in coffee, | | | | who dranknone. |
| which may confer a protective effect. | | | | Overall caffeine intake did not appearto be much |
| Mark A. Pereira, Ph.D., and colleaguesat the | | | | related to diabetes risk, further suggesting that |
| University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, had studied | | | | some other ingredientin coffee was also |
| coffee intake and diabetesrisk in the 28,812 | | | | responsible. "Magnesium, for which coffee is a |
| postmenopausal women in Iowa over a 12-year | | | | goodsource, can explain some of the inverse |
| period. At thebeginning of the study, in 1986, the | | | | relation between coffee intake and riskof type 2 |
| women answered questions about the riskfactors | | | | diabetes mellitus through known helpful effects on |
| for diabetes, including age, body mass index, | | | | the carbohydratemetabolism," the authors write. |
| physical activity, alcoholconsumption and other | | | | However, the study found no relation between |
| smoking history. They also reported how often | | | | Magnesium and diabetes risk. Other minerals and |
| they consumeda variety of foods and these | | | | nutrients found in the coffeebean including |
| beverages over the previous year, including | | | | compounds known as polyphenols, which have |
| regularand decaffeinated coffee. | | | | also been shown tohelp the body process |
| Based on this information reportedin the initial | | | | carbohydrates and antioxidants, which might |
| questionnaire, about half of the women (14,224) | | | | protect cellsin the insulin producing pancreas can |
| drank one totwo cups of coffee per day; 2,876 | | | | contribute to its beneficial effects andneeds to be |
| drank more than six cups; 5,553 four to fivecups; | | | | examined in future studies. |
| 3,232 less than one cup; and 2,927 none. Over | | | | |