Increased Consumption of Tea and Coffee Decreases the Risk of Dying in People with Type 2 Diabetes

A recent study has reported that the consumption of relatively high levels of tea and coffee reduces all-cause mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).1 The study monitored the health of nearly 5000 Japanese people with type 2 DM for approximately 5 years as part of a larger study to examine the effects of multiple lifestyle factors on DM. The study found that people that consumed tea and/or coffee had significantly reduced death rates (from any cause) than those that did not drink either beverage. The reduction in mortality correlated with increased consumption, with reductions of 15%, 27% and 40% for people that drank 1, 2-3, or ≥4 cups of tea daily. Similarly, 12%, 19% and 41% reductions were associated similar amounts of coffee daily. Interestingly, the two beverages seemed to potentiate each other’s protective properties. Indeed, substantially lower rates of death were reported in people that drank 2-3 cups of green tea plus 2 or more of coffee (51% decreased mortality); 4 or more cups of green tea plus 1 cup of coffee every day (58% decreased mortality); or 4 or more cups of green tea and 2 or more cups of coffee (63% decreased mortality) every day. The reasons for the protective effects of tea and coffee were not determined by that study, although both beverages are rich in phenolic antioxidants, including theonine and caffeine and these may contribute to the protective effects in DM patients.