Good news for coffee drinkers. A study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that coffee consumption could reduce subclinical inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as increase in HDL-cholesterol levels.
Since subclinical inflammation and oxidative stress have been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, the results also suggested that long term coffee consumption can cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In this study, 47 habitual coffee drinkers were asked to stop drinking coffee for one month, then drank four cups of coffee per day, followed by eight cups of coffee daily in the second month. All subjects were younger than 65 years of age, but with an increased risk of developing diabetes based on a diabetes risk score.
After the two months of drinking coffee, the researchers found that all subjects experienced a significant decrease in markers of subclinical inflammation, including interleukin-18 (a known risk factor for type2 diabetes) and adiponectin, but no increases in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Markers of oxidative stress, on the other hand, were significantly reduced.
The researchers also found an increase of total-cholesterol levels by 12% after 2 months of drinking coffee. However, apolipoprotein A1 land HDL-cholesterol levels were also increased (by 7%).
Kempf K. Am J Clin Nutr 2010-04-10
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