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New Study Finds Coffee’s Protective Benefits Against Type 2 Diabetes Weakened by Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
A new study suggests that while drinking coffee regularly without additives may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), adding sugar or artificial sweeteners significantly diminishes this protective effect.
Study Highlights
Researchers found that each additional cup of coffee consumed without additives was associated with a 10% lower risk of developing T2D. However, when sugar was added, this protective effect was reduced to only 5%, and the addition of artificial sweeteners attenuated the risk reduction to 7%.
Adding cream to coffee had no significant impact on its protective benefits. However, the use of nondairy coffee whiteners showed a trend toward reduced protection, though this finding was not statistically significant.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from 150,106 participants across three large, prospective U.S.-based cohort studies, collectively covering 3,665,408 person-years of follow-up. Participants provided information on their food and beverage intake every four years, with detailed records on coffee consumption and additive use.
To assess the relationship between coffee and diabetes risk, researchers used time-dependent Cox proportional hazards regression models with multivariable adjustments. Participants who developed T2D were asked to complete additional questionnaires to document their symptoms, diagnostic tests, and medications.
Key Findings
- Pure Coffee’s Benefit: Each additional cup of coffee without additives was linked to a 10% lower risk of T2D (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.89-0.92).
- Sugar’s Effect: Adding sugar to coffee reduced the benefit, with only a 5% risk reduction (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.97).
- Artificial Sweeteners’ Impact: A similar attenuation was observed with artificial sweeteners, leading to a 7% reduction in risk (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.96).
- Cream’s Neutrality: The addition of cream did not significantly alter coffee’s protective effect.
- Nondairy Whiteners’ Trend: While not statistically significant, nondairy coffee whiteners appeared to reduce the protective effect of coffee.
- Combined Additives: Coffee with both sugar and artificial sweeteners did not offer significant protection against T2D (HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.89-1.03).
Implications for Coffee Drinkers
The study suggests that individuals seeking to maximize coffee’s potential benefits for diabetes prevention should avoid adding sugar and artificial sweeteners. “The use of additives, especially sugar and artificial sweeteners, may counteract the potential benefits of coffee consumption on diabetes,” the authors noted.
Limitations
Despite its robust methodology, the study had several limitations. It did not account for commercially available sugar-sweetened coffee beverages with high caloric content, nor did it analyze the impact of milk due to limitations in the food frequency questionnaires. Additionally, different coffee preparation methods (e.g., bottled, brewed, canned, instant) were not distinguished. Given the observational nature of the study, causality could not be established, and results may not be generalizable beyond the largely White healthcare professional population studied.
Study Source and Funding
The study was led by Matthias Henn from the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and the authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before making dietary or lifestyle changes.
