Can Coffee Prevent Islet Cell Destruction?

Coffee seems to reduce the risk for diabetes by a significant degree, but the mechanisms are unclear. We posted a study a year ago which suggested that coffee helps to regulate the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen, elevated levels of which have been shown to increase diabetes risk.Chinese researchers have proposed that three chemical components of coffee block an accumulation of a certain protein, human islet amyloid polypeptide (HIAPP), that is “misfolded” and, therefore, toxic to pancreatic islet cells. In the study, published in the November issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers exposed HIAPP to caffeine, caffeic acid (CA), and chlorogenic acid (CGA) which are all components of coffee. All three compounds inhibited formation of the toxic HIAPP in the laboratory setting.Research in a Petri dish is never considered conclusive, and this study falls into that category for certain.  But, coffee is a complex chemical substance that current thinking tends to regard as beneficial, and time will tell if this mechanism, some other, or a combination of effects is responsible for the apparent benefit to diabetes risk.Coffee seems to reduce the risk for diabetes by a significant degree, but the mechanisms are unclear. We posted a study a year ago which suggested that coffee helps to regulate the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen, elevated levels of which have been shown to increase diabetes risk.Chinese researchers have proposed that three chemical components of coffee block an accumulation of a certain protein, human islet amyloid polypeptide (HIAPP), that is “misfolded” and, therefore, toxic to pancreatic islet cells. In the study, published in the November issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers exposed HIAPP to caffeine, caffeic acid (CA), and chlorogenic acid (CGA) which are all components of coffee. All three compounds inhibited formation of the toxic HIAPP in the laboratory setting.Research in a Petri dish is never considered conclusive, and this study falls into that category for certain.  But, coffee is a complex chemical substance that current thinking tends to regard as beneficial, and time will tell if this mechanism, some other, or a combination of effects is responsible for the apparent benefit to diabetes risk.