I have been having issues with blood sugar control. I technically qualified for a diabetes diagnosis 18 months ago, but my Dr said he would retest in six months. So I went low carb and got my HbA1c down into the "prediabetic" range. But I still can't get my fasting (first thing in the morning) blood sugar down. It is always over 7 (126 for you U.S.guys) which is bad. It indicates that my liver is making glucose overnight but I am not insulin sensitive enough to clear it.

While my health has improved dramatically on low carb, and my Dr considers me to be effectively "diet controlled" my remaining health issues would really improve if I could increase my insulin sensitivity. For starters, I would have a lot more energy by either using glucose properly or getting into ketosis (which i would like to do, but couldn't for this reason).

So I inadvertently stumbled across a blog that mentioned that coffee drinkers had lower rates of diabetes. After a couple of days on PubMed and looking into the research (I have access to a university library database) I made the commitment to drink at least four cups (preferably six) of coffee a day. Normally I would just drink one in the morning.

Two days later WHOOHOO HOO! For the first time in 11 months my morning blood sugar was under 6, I just tested 5.4 (97 in US units). It is fricking normal!

I am so happy! This could just be a fluctuation, and I could be whoo
hooing prematurely, but the drop has been so dramatic that I am hopeful that it will continue.

Word of Wisdom, my arse!

Amen!!

Alright!!!

I'm newly diagnosed as diabetic, and I've been trying to get my fasting glucose down too. I have exactly the same issue. It never goes below 120. I drink coffee once in a while, but I may try getting into it heavier and see what happens. I have the diet down pat and taking Metformin. It still worries me at 120. They say that can still screw up a person.. Have you ever seen anything about what it is in coffee that has the effect?

Yes from what I have read up on (sorry I don't have citations off the top of my head, but I have been quite critical of the studies I looked into) it is the combination of chlorogenic acid and caffeine. One study separated the two out, and the group on both did better than the groups on one of the two. So supplementing with CGA would not be as good as drinking coffee, and it is not just a caffeine effect.

Ignore the stuff about green coffee extract until better research comes out. The only decent (independent) research there showed a small effect for lowering blood pressure. Then I don't think a lot of the extracts keep the caffeine. For blood sugar control normal coffee is fine. Roasting the coffee does change the CGA into some of its metabolites, but it looks like they are also effective for blood sugar purposes.

Important - if you are not a big coffee drinker, increase gradually. I didn't have any adverse effects increasing my intake, but some people are more caffeine sensitive than others. I used to drink heaps back in my Army days, but stopped when I got pregnant 13 years ago and never drank much after that. I did have problems from how much I drank then, mainly visiting Mormon relatives was a nightmare. I am risking dependence again, but I think it is worth it for blood sugar control.

Robusta coffee has more CGA than Arabica. (About a third more). But the effects were seen in people drinking instant coffee, so you don't need to get too fussy over what you drink. I prefer freeze dried instant. My hubby makes plunger (French press) Arabica at breakfast, so I have one cup of that and the rest is freeze dried.

There are some components in coffee that theoretically increase risk for cardiovascular problems, but only in plunger and espresso type coffees. Instant and filter types remove them. But correlation studies don't show that coffee drinkers have more cardio problems, so the risk is theoretical. Maybe some other component of coffee negates the effect. But to be safe I would see a Dr if I had CV issues and wanted to try coffee for blood sugar control.

Basically, a lot of people drink 4-6 cups a day as a routine, so it is worth some self experimenting to see if it is effective. The CGA interferes with gluconeogenesis in the liver, so if that is the cause of the problem, it could work.

Edit to add: I don't take metformin. I was considering it before this. If it takes a while for metformin to have an effect (I have no idea), you may be coming right eventually anyway.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2014 07:34PM by spanner.

There is so much to learn about the true physiology of our fleshly vehicles.

Enzymes, molecules, antioxidants, pro-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, neutrons, neurons, and fig newtons.

What fools spend hours waxing and funding their 4 wheeled wonders that take them nowhere and back .....but then spend so miserly on the fantastic fleshly one we sleep in?

Well, that's absolutely true! I'm now in the beginning stages of converting my oversized SUV body into a sports car.. or at least a mid-sized sedan.

It is sacred communion for A.A. Archaeologists have determined that what the ancients thought was "ambrosia" was actually coffee, the nectar of the gods. Every sip brings you closer to divinity!

On a serious note, understand that heat (in this case, roasting) breaks down the caffeine molecule. So the stronger-tasting ("bold" in Starbucks lingo) dark ("French") roast is actually less caffeinated than the more mild-tasting "American" (or light) roast, sometimes marketed as "breakfast blend. It's counter-intuitive, I know, but that's the way it is.

It's all individual. Being a CAF-FIEND of the first water, I go for the light roast, the default brew of Dunkin' Donuts, the major chain in New England. "Eight O'Clock" brand is an under-appreciated and inexpensive brand, excellent light roast, if it's in your region.

light roast is the most

it let's one's tastebuds survive the thirst

All Hail Holy Joe!

I have tried repeatedly, since childhood, to acquire a taste for coffee. But it just tastes NASTY to me.I don't like coffee flavor in ice cream, jelly beans, cake frosting - ANYTHING.

So I threw in the towel long ago and decided to re-indulge my passion for all kinds of tea (except Lapsang Suchong - can't handle that one.)

I always get a kick out of the character of Hetty, played by tiny Linda Hunt on NCIS - Los Angeles. She is always drinking some exotic kind of teas, and I almost always recognize the names. One of the other characters once referred to Hetty as "Master of the Universe." Tiny lady, kicks major ass. My heroine. AND a tea aficionada.

I have heard and read about a something they called "dawn phenomenon" where some people show a high glucose reading in the morning that resolves itself after eating. Many of those people talk about eating a little very late before they go to bed, usually protein. This seems to help. Maybe this together with some healthy doses of coffee will help.

Words to the wise, anonanon.

re: am glucose level

morning joe, sweetened with agave nectar as a rule

the gods are already smilin when you finally wake up

I know, it's not delicious, trendy, or anti-WOW, but you are interested in health results, right?

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/Blog/David-Spero/diabetes-start-vinegar-now/

While you sleep blood glucose level drops. This signals the liver that more glucose is needed in the blood and it goes to work making it. This may be why your morning number if higher than you'd like. A sensible snack with carbs and protein about an hour before bed may help. I'm not a doctor but this is basically what mine told me. That said, if coffee works, then go for it.

I'm so confused!!! How can that be? Coffee is BAD! Don't try to run anywhere because you might become weary. Walking might even make you faint. Be careful!!

Scandanavians drink more coffee than anyone and Japanese are huge drinkers of teas. Those two are the longest lived people in the world even though the Japanese also smoke a bit.

Coffee consumption (tea consumption not listed but consider it too due to cultural implications. Antioxidants are also found in red wines).

Rank Country Consumption (kg/year)
1 Finland 12.0 kg
2 Norway 9.9 kg
3 Iceland 9.0 kg
4 Denmark 8.7 kg
5 Netherlands 8.4 kg
6 Sweden 8.2 kg
7 Switzerland 7.9 kg
8 Belgium 6.8 kg
9 Canada 6.5 kg
10 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Top longevity:

1 Japan
2 Andorra
3 Singapore
4 Hong Kong
5 San Marino
6 Iceland
7 Italy
8 Sweden
9 Australia
10 Switzerland

1) Scandinavians drink lots of coffee.
2) Scandinavians live longer
3) Therefore, coffee makes you live longer.

Wrong-o! Maybe less exposure to the Sun's ultraviolet rays has something to do with it. Maybe it's their genetics. Maybe it's socialism. Maybe it's volcanic ash.

Years ago, a yogurt company featured very old people from Armenia or Turkestan or someplace, and told us that that they all have eaten lots of yogurt all their lives. It then said we should also eat lots of yogurt.I eat yogurt, and I'm much older than when I first started eating it!

Hey, let's be logical about our conclusions, folks!

Well maybe we should all move to eurasia and live like hunzans


http://jesus-is-savior.com/land_of_hunza.htm

All I know for sure is that coffee lifts my mood. After my kid died, a casual friend became a savior of sorts. One thing she did is say, hey give coffee another try. It did and I was hooked. Coffee gave me a reason to get out of bed. It's something wonderful to look forward to every morning. Addict? I don't care. Sorry to those of you who don't like it. It pretty much saved my life.