Caffeine vs Type II Diabetes 445
OctaneZ writes "New research out of the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that coffee may lower your risk of Type II Diabetes. Men who drank 6 cups of coffee a day lowered their risk by 50%, while womens risk dropped 30%. The release also includes audio discussions about the suprising findings."
Great news! (Score:5, Funny)
That's super news!
Being that there's coffee in Kahlua [kahlua.com] I can rest assured that when I have cirrhosis induced jaundice I won't have to suffer through the ravages of Type II diabetes!
oh.. there are only 2 Fs in "Caffeine", Taco. Please get it right when you dupe the story in 2 hours.
Re:Great news! (Score:5, Funny)
He's a little jittery from his morning cups of coffee, causinng hhimm to hitt some kkeys tooo manny ttimes.
Slashdot reaction (Score:4, Insightful)
Ignoring, of course, the fact that while drinking 6 (!!) cups of coffee a day may reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes (if this resarch is true), it raises your risk for nearly everything else.
Re:Slashdot reaction (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Slashdot reaction (Score:3, Insightful)
Uh... hate to burst your bubble cowboy, but that's MASSIVE (catastrophic, whatever you choose) heart failure that's a quick flash in the pan. My grandfather and uncle (yes, someday it'll come to take me, as well) both suffered catastrophic heart attacks and were unconscious within seconds, dead within a minute. However, one of my friends was not so lucky and languished in a hospital bed for days before another, smaller heart attack actually killed him. You could linger in agony for days at the hands of a
Six cups is not much (Score:2)
Re:Slashdot reaction (Score:3, Insightful)
The magic point with coffee is around 6 cups a day, where the bad effects starts to kick in (increased risk of ulcers and heart-problems).
We can just hope the risk for diabetes is also reduced for less than 6 cups a day, otherwise we have to count cups to make sure the hit the magic number every single day
coffee is very safe (Score:5, Interesting)
Interestingly, caffeine also seems to have a neuroprotective effect when it comes to Parkinson's (here's [washington.edu] an article even the most java-addled ./er should be able to get through).
Also interesting: nicotine has an even stronger neuroprotective effect against Parkinson's. And what's really weird: smokers metabolize caffeine about twice as fast as nonsmokers (nobody's really sure why). Next time your pretentious smoker buddy starts bragging about how much coffee he cranks, you might mention this. He's got a biochemical advantage.
I don't smoke, and I wouldn't advise doing it as part of your health regimen, but nicotine's interations with caffeine are kind of intriguing.
meanwhile.. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:meanwhile.. (Score:3, Funny)
Cheers! (Score:2)
One small shot of espresso for man,
One 5-shot Venti White Chocolate Mocha for mankind!
Waiter! I'll have two please!
-Goran
Re:Cheers! (Score:2)
My personal favorite is the "quint expresso machiatto". I know that in the Pacific Northwest barrista is considered a profession, but everywhere else it is considered a slight step up from "Do you want fries with that?" Most have to ask "Quint? How many is that?"
Also, I always order an odd number, so that the person making the drink will have an extra shot of expresso left over, and perhaps offer it to me for free
Sugar consumption (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Sugar consumption (Score:2)
Hey, not all of us snack with junk food, nor are all of us hooked on sugary soft drinks!
Some of us even drink water. Try it for a week. You won't look at a syrypy soft drink the same way, once you get your taste buds back.
Scientific Method (Score:2)
Most of the time, the hardest part in conducting any experiment is identifying and eliminating all the independent variables (except for the one you're trying to test, of course). In the case of Diabetes, sug
Re:Sugar consumption (Score:2, Informative)
The problem is there is a finite amount of insulin that can be produced, and it appears that with ex
Re:Sugar consumption (Score:5, Informative)
Less than 5%?? If you are female, you would have so many other health problems to worry about at that point that not getting diabetes wouldn't do you much good!
Even for males, that's so low as to be almost unachievable...
To be healthy, a woman _needs_ at least 10% body fat, and men at least 5%, and to get that low you need to be working really, really hard. Ideal percentages body fat for _athletes_ run more like 12-18% female / 6-15% male.
Even if you ignore the 5% figure, a person of normal weight has a low but not non-zero chance of developing type ii diabetes.
Re:Sugar consumption (Score:4, Informative)
You're taking the "blame the patient" position. It's been debunked.
One notable characteristic of type II diabetes is the loss of the post meal insulin pulse. This pulse of insulin keeps blood glucose in check immediately after a meal. Without it, your blood glucose rises sharply after a meal and then falls. Swinging blood sugar levels lead to sugar & carbohydrate cravings. You can have these, and not be fat. The disease can actually induce the vice. Cause and effect are not always what they seem. You might find my other posts in this topic interesting.
Re:Sugar consumption (Score:3, Informative)
I have trouble with the word "abuse", since insulin production and sensativity varies widely from person to person. The symptoms of "insulin abuse" creep up on you. You don't recognize it when it happens, and it's not very different from what a "normal non-abusing person" is doing.
The biggest clue for me was ravenous hunger 4 to 6 hours after a high carb meal. Even then I only found out due to a presurgical screen after an accident. As it progresses, its easier to "abuse". I can "abuse" my insulin ri
Re:Wrong. (Score:3, Informative)
Actually, looking some stuff up in a table I have here, jasmine rice has a GI of 109! For reference, table sugar (sucrose) has a GI of "only" 61, and a white bagel (complex carbs in bagels, remember) has a GI of 72. Sure, refined sugars are bad, but there are many things tha
Re: RIGHT (Score:5, Insightful)
The refined carbohydrates you believe are the cause of Type II diabetes have been consumed now for over 5000 years. This is a disorder that did not even exist 100 years ago, and barely existed 40 years ago. What has changed? Until you explain THAT, everything you think you know is completely irrelevent.
Actually... We've been aware of diabetes at least since the time of the Roman Empire. "Diabetes mellitus" is actually latin for "sweet urine", which was the diagnostic test (yuk!) for the disease back then. In the past, type 1 diabetics didn't survive to adulthood. Type 2 complications take decades to develop, and may be mistaken for other things. Either way, since the average life expectancy was less than 40 5000 years ago, your point is hardly relevant. Most people didn't live long enough for the disease to develop.
I have to live with the disease. Funny... I can eat more rice than I can bread. It doesn't get digested as fast.
I'd love to see your 50 claimed references. You've done a lot of spouting off bullshit in this topic. You have your preconceived position, and you aren't going to let go of it. You're not helping anyone, and we really don't care if you want to feel smarter than everyone else.
Hmm... (Score:2, Funny)
coffee not caffine (Score:2, Informative)
Re:coffee not caffine (Score:2)
Just a joke. (Score:4, Interesting)
Really, what is the raiton between the risk of cardio injury from drinking this much coffee and the risk of getting diabetes in general? I would htink that cardiovascular disease would be a bigger threat than diabetes. (If I had to pick I would rather go with the cardiovascular disease but neither are nice)
And was the regular coffee or my double brewed boiled down recipie where I fit two pots into one cup?
Re:Just a joke. (Score:2)
I drink about twice that, and I have a very low heart rate and blood pressure. OTOH I am generally fairly fit anyway, maybe that makes a difference.
Re:Just a joke. (Score:2)
I drink about twice that, and I have a very low heart rate and blood pressure.
The question is though, if you drank less coffee, would you have a lower heart rate and lower blood pressure?Fitness (aerobic capacity IIRC) has the result in lowering your resting heart rate, not sure about bp though.
Re:Just a joke. (Score:2)
Re:Just a joke. (Score:4, Interesting)
You know; that's exactly what a lot of other junkies do to rational their habit. I do it with cigarettes.
Caffine is addictive. You are dependant on it. You are a drug addict.
(ps can you leave all us smokers alone now...?) ;-)
Re:Just a joke. (Score:3, Informative)
The difference is coffee has no conclusive health risks, whereas cigarettes have many definite health risks.
Addiction in and of itself only matters when the addiction can become a problem in and of itself. Not drinking coffee one day will not result in your completely losing your mind and screaming for hours on end like heroin withdrawal can. In fact, it won't even make you as obtuse as nicotine withdrawal.
Re:Just a joke. (Score:2)
Re:Just a joke. (Score:3, Interesting)
Actually, diabetes is one of the major causes of heart disease.
Re:Just a joke. (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't know about that. I don't think there's ever been any evidence of serious long term health consequences linked to even moderately high caffeine use.
And it's not for lack of trying. Caffeine seems almost too good to be true.
As far as the lameness of caffeine addiction is concerned, coffee has been loved by generations of Sufis, who used coffee in mystic rituals and spread its use across the world; and by many important creative people who picked it up in coffee houses. Beethoven and Rossini were very heavy users by any standard. William Harvey, the disoverer of blood ciruclation, left his coffee paraphernalia to the Royal Society and is said to have declared on his deathbed that the coffee bean was the source of all true happiness (going a bit far I'd say).
Balzac was probably the champion coffee addict of all time, reaching a point of drinking over two hundred cups of coffee a day until he finally gave up and resorted to eating coffee beans directly. He did die of heart failure, but at a reasonable age for his day, and according to his physician from a congential condition.
Coffee is one of those rare pleasures that, even indulged in to the extreme remains quite benign. I'd say stop being so puritanical and enjoy one of nature's gifts.
Yeah, but... (Score:3, Informative)
Insulin resistance seems to be correlated with obesity. I'm not saying you can't be fat and drink coffee... but most of the "looks like a crack addict with his coffee fix" people I know are thin.
Re:Yeah, but... (Score:3, Insightful)
How right you are!
I am constantly dealing with Type II diabetes. (Ironically, I'm also a modest coffee drinker averaging ~ 30 oz / day)
I've found that when my weight climbs above 225, I have problems with my blood sugars. When my weight is under 220 or so, I have little to no trouble at all.
This is not an issue
Lowered risk. (Score:5, Funny)
I drink so much coffee, the people around me must have a lowered risk of diabetes, just by proximity.
Re:Lowered risk. (Score:3, Funny)
Feh- You guys are still measuring intake in CUPS?!
What a bunch of sissy posers!
Anything less than six *POTS* of coffee a day is social drinkin'.
Re:Lowered risk. (Score:2)
Diet Soda? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Diet Soda? -OT- (Score:5, Insightful)
Whatever ever happened to a balanced diet? Atkins seems to me to be swinging the pendulum more and more away from equilibrium.
Pop culture diets: "Eat no carbs!" "Wait! You need carbs!" "Eat nothing but carbs!" "Wait, carbs are bad!" "Eat only protien!" "Eat anything but barf it up!"
rant not directed towards you, neiffer. just a rant. whatever to get your diabetes in control. People with a medical condition, maybe something like Atkins is a good thing. but for people who think they are fat, and don't want to excercise, a little more balance would seem better.
Re:Diet Soda? -OT- (Score:5, Interesting)
Make fun of Atkins all you like, but for those of us that have type II diabetes, it's a powerful tool to control our blood sugar. I've lost enough weight on Atkins that my sugar readings are "normal" as long as I stick to the diet. If I eat more than about 20 grams of carbs at one sitting, or about 45 - 50 grams a day, my blood sugar goes way up. Studies have shown that good sugar control postpones and reduces the onset of diabetic complications. Basicly, the carbs kill diabetics faster than the fat & cholesterol.
Many people mistake Atkins induction level with the "atkins diet". Induction is a 2 week phase. It is not a balanced diet, and you're not supposed to stay on it forever. Atkins at maintenance levels resembles The Zone diet.
Re:Diet Soda? -OT- (Score:5, Informative)
There actually is a pretty good rationale for low carb dieting. I'll try to sum up two major lines of evidence:
First, carbs didn't make up a large part of the human diet until the invention of agriculture about 10,000 years ago. Sugars and starchs are simply not available in large consistenet quantities to hunter/gatherers dominant for the previous 90,000 years. Studies comparing the remains of pre-agricultural people and agricultural people show that diabetes and heart disease only appear in populations once agriculture is introduced. The correlation was shown not to be an effect of lifespan. today, cultures such as the Inuit exist on nearly carb free diets and show a similar absence of diabetes and heart disease.
Second, carbs are nearly instantaneously converted to glucose by the digestive system. Where the digestive system easily discards unneeded fat and protein, glucose enters the blood stream very quickly. Excessively high glucose levels are toxic to the brain, so glucose triggers an insulin response. Insulin triggers the fat cells to remove glucose and store it, and it triggers the liver to remove glucose and store it as cholesterol. By removing the carb component of the diet, the body needs to produce its own glucose. The glycogen response triggers the fat cells to release stored glucose into the blood stream and it triggers the liver to convert cholesterol to glucose. Low carb dieting causes the body to spend most time in a glycogenic state, which means the body is burning fat and cholesterol as fuel. Hence, less fat and cholesterol.
MOD PARENT UP -- plus more (Score:5, Informative)
This AC makes a good point that you can't lump all carbs together. What really causes the problem in today's diets is that most food is processed very heavily. Grain products have the bran and germ (the most nutritious parts) stripped out of them. Fats have been extracted from their raw sources using heat and chemical solvents which fundamentally change the character of the fatty acids (typically breaking down any double bonds between carbon atoms and allowing more hydrogen to get attached leading to saturated fats). Grain products that retain most of the original nutrition such as barley, wild rice, whole wheat bread, etc. should not be lumped together in the class of 'evil' carbs. The heavily processed sugars and starches in our typical diet are bad because they are simply empty calories.
A balanced diet really is the way to go because your body needs so damn many things to work well and counteract the effects of other things you eat. I know some people don't bother eating fruits because they 'can get their vitamins from a pill'. Fruits provide much more than vitamins, however. Pectin, for example, helps your body deal with excess cholesterol. Atkins' dieters love to eat tons of fat and brag about how healthy they are. I know someone who eats fried eggs and bacon every morning for breakfast. Listen, that is not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. First of all, frying eggs hydrogenates them (if you love eggs, try soft-boiling them so that they yolk isn't exposed to the air). Bacon is cured and processed and filled with saturated fats. Good nutritional practices are not as simple as 'eat more fat and less carbs'.
Many of us have seen first hand how people follwing the Atkins and other fad diets lose weight. But the real key to being healthy (as opposed to just fat loss) is to eat a balanced diet filled with fresh, nutrient-dense foods. You can eat a fair meat of meat on such a diet but you had better (a) trim off excess visible fat, and (b) suppliment with essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 acids found in flax oil, hemp oil, nuts, seeds) to provide your body with the ability to deal with all the cholesterol and saturated fats you'll be taking in. Don't shy away from all carbs but make sure that any carbs you DO decide to take in are from nutrient dense sources. Never eat any type of bread except for 100% whole wheat. Don't use jasmine, white, basmanti or other highly processed rice -- use brown rice, wild rice, or barley. Skip pasta. Don't go crazy on fruits but definitely include some of those every day. And vegetables are essential. That's probably the most nutritious stuff you can find.
Bottom line: good nutrition is quite complicated. Much more so than you will ever hear about in USA Today or CNN. The best thing you can do is eat a balanced diet and reduce your consumption of highly processed foods. I'm not saying you have to run out and starting buying organic produce (lord knows I sure don't) but do realize that our modern society has traded nutrient value of foods for ease of processing and consumption.
GMD
Re:Diet Soda? -OT- (Score:4, Informative)
I don't have time to counter you point by point, but here are some corrections to your corrections...as well as some corrections to my original statements.
First, I confused glycogen with glycogon. Glycogon is the hormone that generally "opposes" insulin.
- Carbohydrates are not stored in fat cells.
Not directly - depending on the availablity of glucose, the body will convert acetyl byproducts of glucolysis into fat, or further metabolize it. More below:
- *Fat* is stored in fat cells, generally as triglycerides.
- Glycogen is stored in the liver and in muscle tissue, not in fat cells.
I was probably unclear, but I didn't mean to make that claim. Glycogen in the liver is the primary storage of excess glucose. When glucose is not abundant, the body will further metabolize the byproduct acetyls from glucose metabolization via the citric acid cycle. When glucose is abundant, the body will instead process excess acetyls into fats and cholesterol via lipogenesis. Fat and cholesterol production are based upon glucose availability; they store the leftovers energy from glucose metabolization, whereas in low glucose states those leftovers would be more completely metabolized.
- The body is incapable of producing its own glucose.
Ever hear of glyconeogenesis? It is the process by which the liver synthesizes glucose from fatty acids.
My best guess as to how Atkins works is that it triggers ketosis, a pathological metabolism characteristic of advanced untreated Type I diabetes. Under conditions of carbohydrate deprivation, the body hydrolizes triglycerides, using the glycerol to fuel the brain (necessary because fatty acids can't cross the blood-brain barrier, but glycerol and carbohydrates can). The fatty acids that are left over are thrown into a metabolic scrap heap, where they are eventually broken down into ketones, e.g. acetone, nail polish remover. If your breath is sweet when you're on the Atkins diet, that's probably the reason. The "glycogenic state" description sounds like an attempt to paint a pretty face on a pathological metabolism. I'm not sure Atkins is any better than tapeworms as an approach to dieting.
Ketosis is indeed a state that many low-carb diets try to maintain. Keep in mind that there is no evidence that ketosis itself is, in and of itself, a "pathological metabolism". If a person is ingesting enough carb to serve the bodies energy requirements, ketosis is indeed a symptom of something amiss. However, if the person is attempting to burn fat, ketosis is the optimal state.
Re:Diet Soda? -OT- (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Diet Soda? -OT- (Score:5, Interesting)
There is some truth to the Atkins diet, but its now some sick industry. People should just go back to eating the way we did 50 years ago. Just watch a 50's TV show sometime. Get some Depression era photographs. People LOOKED healthy back then. It is very clear.
Remember, the same bureaucrats who created dietary guidelines also revolutionized the educational system and thought housing projects would eliminate poverty. The sad fact is diet fads are one of the last idealistic trends of the 1960's. Like everything else of that era, it was wrong and destructive.
Re:You mean the LATE Dr. Atkins (Score:2, Funny)
More Details! (Score:5, Interesting)
OR
Does drinking 6 cups of coffee a day supress hunger so people eat less, and therefore weigh less, which reduces the chance of Type II diabetes?
In my head, it's more the latter than any "wonder of coffee" - kind of like how a few years ago it was "red wine reduces heart attacks! Drink up, kids!", which then moved to "oh, well, grape juice does the same thing - it's all because of the antioxidants".
Re:More Details! (Score:2)
Coffe doesn't suppress hunger, it increases your matabolism so reasonably it should do the reverse.
RTFPR! (Score:3, Interesting)
The Harvard researchers have been following well over 100,000 health professionals for many years now. The participants provide the researchers with detailed reports on weight, fitness level, lifestyle, exercise, diet, an
Re:More Details! (Score:3, Interesting)
But what about the decaf effect?
This
That may be true... (Score:2)
I don't think it's wise to increase coffee intake just for the reduced diabetes risk. Besides, there's other healthier things one can do to reduce the risk, like (heaven forbid) better diet and exercise habits.
Editor is drugged (Score:2, Funny)
Health Food -- Better than a smoothie! (Score:3, Interesting)
So, it's good for you! Drink up!
diabetes or death? (Score:2)
I believe it. (Score:5, Interesting)
parkinson too (Score:5, Interesting)
Nuts!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Aren't there other, more healthy ways to lower your risk of diabetes? Like exercise and eating right? Or is that one of those "things you are not allowed to say" on slashdot?
I'm not getting off this couch (Score:2, Funny)
Hey, this is the USA, does that exercise/eating right thing come in pill form?
Important thing to remember... (Score:2, Funny)
black coffee is the best, but reducing your carbohydrate intake along with it makes the biggest difference.
the coffee causes diabetes 2 debate... (Score:5, Interesting)
One thing to note is that a lot of the reports I read saying that coffee leads to diabetes type 2 also imply that the coffee is consumed together with some kind of carbohydrate-laced food, usually cakes or something. It is also equally important to note that there are a large number of athletes and serious exercisers who use coffee as a performance enhancer; they tend to not have diabetes type 2 and they tend not to consume their coffee with performance-undermining cakes.
What I would like to see are more reports taking these factors into account.Compare people who drink just coffee with people who drink coffee and eat cake. Compare people who drink coffee and exercise vigorously on a regular basis with people who drink coffee and sit on the couch all day. Let's get rid of all the double-messages and ambiguities.
Re:the coffee causes diabetes 2 debate... (Score:2)
hmmmmm...
Does that mean we'll see a sharp rise in cops with diabetes type 2?
ba-dum-dum!
Outside factors? (Score:2)
Caffine still isn't good for you though (Score:5, Interesting)
Side effects of caffeine include:
Anger is perhaps the symptom I've seen the most in other people. It's due to the fact that caffeine causes the adrenal glands to dump their load--you feel energized by caffeine specifically because you've gotten an adrenaline rush. But andrenaline also causes anger because it brings on the "fight or flight" syndrome. Therefore one of the worst places to work is in a place with lots of caffine addicts--they tend to get on each others' nerves.
Caffine causes other stress hormones to be released. The net effect is that you end up feeling tired because you've been feeling stressed out by caffeine. Most people end up taking caffeine to deal with caffeine's side effects.
It takes two weeks for caffeine to completely leave your body.
Re:Caffine still isn't good for you though (Score:2)
Coffe(my source of caffine) is no worse than salt, steak, snickers, mcdonald's burgers and so on. It is all about eating and drinking sensible - coffe is no exception.
Sorry, has to be said... (Score:5, Funny)
Who the hell do you think you are complaining that we coffee drinkers are angry! Why don't you get off your FSCKING high horse, you god-damned pissant. You can take your whiney little opinions about angry coffee drinkes and stick them where the sun doesn't shine! Bloody health food eating, toad sucking, argument for post-natal abortion.
statistics abuse (Score:3, Interesting)
Sure the named side effects have been observed, in some individuals, at certain dosages.
>stress, burning sensatiion
What does that mean?
"I'm too tense, and I'm on fire!"
Just by combining those two items you demonstrate you aren't actually thinking about this.
You forgot to mention that performance on IQ tests is enhanced in most people by caffeine.
Aside from
What They Don't Mention (Score:2)
Argh, just what I need! (Score:2)
Cause vs effect? (Score:2)
Yeah; that milk is bad for ya; stick to the straight coffee and you'll be fine.
Seriously; I read the report looking for clues that for the usual sorts of problems. Did they have cause and effect straightened out? Did they really show it was related to the caffeine? Could you get the same effect by drinking (warm) water?
They did mention decaf having a lesse
Who says it's the caffeine? (Score:2)
I have a vaccine then... (Score:2)
Since I drink a few pots a day + pepsi that means I have somewhere around -200% risk and my blood may be used to treat Diabetes no?
What the article actually says... (Score:2)
Five double mochas later (Score:2)
Unrelated News: Starbucks stock jumps 63% (Score:2, Insightful)
6 cups a day?! If the test-subjects die from a heart-attack before diabetes can get them, does that really mean their risk has been lowered?
Hmm... (Score:2, Funny)
C'mon, I can't be the only one here who has been asked if they want some coffee with their sugar and cream.
6 cups? Weeee! (Score:2)
Seriously. 6 cups? Some people I know would have to run the Los Angeles Marathon to work off those jitters.
Re:6 cups? Weeee! (Score:2)
The real reason it works (Score:3, Funny)
Are we sure this is not Causation but Correlation? (Score:5, Insightful)
I'd start listening to the audio links and do research, but I'm stuck at this place called My Job and if anyone else can confirm this I'd appreciate it. The link given is not the official paper with its findings and I'm not sure I trust the person who wrote it.
By this math.... (Score:2)
So my first born's first born has had his (assuming 'he') risk lowered by 99% given my current daily intake....
Duh! (Score:4, Insightful)
However, high caffeine intake has other problems: impotence being one of them.
Hmm... (Score:2)
Hmm...my doc said if I don't stop drinking pop, I'll develop Type II Diabetes, so I better figure out a way to prevent that from happening. Now, I'm not a coffee drinker myself, but hey! There's caffeine in Mountain Dew as well, and I love Mountain Dew! So, let's see here, five cans have as much caffeine as one cup
VERY misleading title (Score:2)
So all you bloated soda drinkers can stop rejoicing.
Caffeine? Coffee? Tea? Coke? (Score:3, Informative)
Correlation does not equal causation.
Is it caffeine? Is it coffee? If it was caffeine, would it make sense to do more tests on other caffeine laden beverages? Tea, for example. But wait, maybe tea has some effects to help against diabetes too. Hmm...caffeinated soft drinks. But maybe in sodas, the effects will cancel each other out because of the high-fructose corn syrup, if, caffeine is indeed the factor.
Coffee and tea both have "lots of antioxidants" does that mean they are both good against diabetes? Is that what it means? lots of antioxidants = anti-diabetic?
Some theories can only be tested with correlations (Score:2)
I'll just stick to tea (Score:2)
Now who the fuck funds these harvard studies? Is it harvard alone or is Starbucks behind all of this?
And 6 cups a day? What are you nuts? I know people that drink one, two maybe three coffees a day but 6?
That makes sense... (Score:2)
Take a look at that can of soda and the ammount of sugar you just ingested.
Now you wonder why peoples pancreases just up and quit or freak out and start producing huge ammounts of incelin.
If we cut the refined sugars out of our diets, we'd be doing ourselves a favor!
Conspiracy theory (Score:2)
SIX cups? (Score:2)
Funny side note, when my dad was a travelling salesman (before my birth) he aparently got addicted to coffee from being on the road. He didn't really realize it, until he literally had heart palpatations, went to the doctor, who told him he had OD'd on caffeine. So the next time he went out he counted the numbe
6 Cups?! (Score:2)
Six cups of coffee?!? (Score:2, Insightful)
Six cups of coffee contain a total of 810mg of Caffeine [cspinet.org]. That's the same as 14 Mountian Dews. If you're drinking 6 cups of coffee a day, you won't get diabetes because you'll be dead of a heart attack at age 35!
Great news (Score:2)
Great, encouragement for overweight, hyper geeks (Score:4, Informative)
Ok this is not a troll/flame but by all means mod me down, it's only /.
First, caffeine is highly addictive and weight/diet control when addicted to caffeine is extremely difficult, because it interferes with the epinephrine cycle, which in turn regulates blood sugar and blood pressure.
Second, caffeine is widely shown to substantially interfere with REM sleep, the only part of the sleep cycle which provides meaninful 'rest'. This is the particularly insidious element of the addiction: Less REM sleep -> greater 'reward' from consuming caffeine.
Third, caffeine in *Coffee* is among the most widely used drugs, becasue coffee is the 2nd largest commodity market on the planet (trailing far behind oil but still far ahead of all other 'foods'). So yeah lots of people take coffee regularly and lots are addicted to caffeine.
As pointed out above, it's entirely possible that a fair fraction of the benefits found in the study are attributable to the anti-oxidants in coffee, coffee also contains a bunch of other alkaloids besides the caffeine.
Finaly, the myth that caffeine is required to do geek/technical work is just that, a myth. Wired, jittery programmers don't do well at sustained/quality output (ymmv). When I need to work really extended hours, caffeine is the first thing I eliminate. I can, at a pinch work thru technical problems for 24-hour or longer stints, caffiene will just interfere more once serious fatigue begins to set in, learned this nearly 3 decades ago :-).
All of which I've learned over the years to avoid by trying to plan work out so that emergency sessions aren't needed, I'm to damned old to put in that kind of burnout time on a regular basis.
it dosn't always work (Score:4, Informative)
He has since cut out caffine, trimmed down, relaxed, and his blood sugar is very stable.
There are side effects of caffine, such as anxiety which could easily encourage diabetes.
Re:cool (Score:5, Informative)
Re:cool (Score:5, Funny)
Re:cool (Score:2)
--Joey
Red Bull's full of sugar (Score:2, Insightful)
bullcrap (Score:4, Interesting)
Diabetes I is low in certain developing countries not because of better diet, but because of poverty. People with diabetes I were left to die, usually because they/their family couldn't afford the treatment (or diagnosis for that matter), and thus diabetes I gets slowly removed from the gene pool.