Coffee is among the most consumed beverages worldwide. Coffee consumption has been associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, but underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In new research, scientists from the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam and elsewhere studied the role of classic and novel-diabetes biomarkers with anti- or pro-inflammatory activity in the association between habitual coffee intake and type 2 diabetes risk.
In two large population-based cohorts, Ochoa-Rosales et al. observed longitudinal associations between higher habitual coffee consumption and lower risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Image credit: Sci.News.
Coffee is one of the most frequently consumed beverages worldwide. It contains several bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acids, caffeine and polyphenols, although the exact composition depends on the type and preparation process.
The beneficial association between higher coffee consumption and lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus is well-established. However, potential mechanisms underlying these associations are not well understood.
Diabetes is related to inflammation and a large number of studies have reported altered concentrations of classic subclinical inflammation markers, such as C-reactive protein; adipokines, such as leptin and adiponectin; and novel biomarkers of inflammation such as complement proteins, interleukins (IL-13 and IL-17), and receptors, in insulin resistant and diabetic patients.
Higher coffee intake has been suggested to lead to lower concentrations of pro-inflammatory markers, which may thereby impact the risk of type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases
“To help understand biological pathways connecting coffee to inflammatory processes and type 2 diabetes development, we aimed:” said Dr. Trudy Voortman from the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam and colleagues.
“Firstly, to determine longitudinal associations of long-term habitual coffee consumption with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.”
“Secondly, to investigate to what extent classic and novel type 2 diabetes-related markers of inflammation and adipokines mediate these associations through formal mediation analysis.”
“Thirdly, to study potential effect modification by coffee type and smoking status.”
The researchers used data from two large population-based prospective studies with a wide distribution of coffee intake: the UK Biobank and the Rotterdam Study.
These data benefit from large sample sizes and long follow-up time, supplemented with comprehensive data on classic and novel biomarkers in the Rotterdam Study cohort and coffee types in the UK Biobank.
The authors found that a one cup per day increase in coffee consumption was associated with a 4-6% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
They also predicted further possible favorable impact such as lower insulin resistance, lower C-reactive protein, lower leptin and higher adiponectin concentrations in cohort participants.
A one cup per day increase was measured against individuals’ varying daily consumption rather than a set baseline.
Daily consumption within the study cohort ranged from 0 to 6 cups of coffee per day, with findings suggesting benefits from an extra cup per day regardless whether individuals fell at the lower or higher end of that range.
The UK Biobank data also suggested that the manner in which coffee is prepared may impact its health benefits.
Filtered or espresso coffee had the strongest beneficial association with lower type 2 diabetes risk and C-reactive protein concentrations, alongside being a non-smoker.
“Coffee is one of the most frequently consumed beverages worldwide and its potential health effects trigger significant scientific research,” Dr. Voortman said.
“Previous studies have linked higher coffee consumption to lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes but underlying mechanisms remained unclear.”
“Our research shows that coffee is associated with differences in the levels of inflammation biomarkers in the body, and as we know that type 2 diabetes is partly an inflammatory disease, this could be one of the mechanisms at play.”
“These findings could also support future research into the effects of coffee on other inflammation-related chronic diseases.”
The findings were published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.
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Carolina Ochoa-Rosales et al. 2023. C-reactive protein partially mediates the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: The UK Biobank and the Rotterdam study cohorts. Clinical Nutrition 42 (5); doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2023.02.024
