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Caffeine causes blood sugars to rise

Caffeine blocks adenosine's ability to open up the brain's blood vessels, causing them to constrict - this is the reason caffeine is used in pain reliever medicine for headaches. If the headache is vascular, the effect of caffeine narrowing the blood vessels can offer relief.

With caffeine blocking adenosine, there is an increase in the firing of neurons in the brain. The pituitary gland observes the increased activity and perceives it as an emergency, so it releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline is the "fight or flight" hormone and it has a number of effects on your body:

  • Dilates pupils
  • Opens breathing tubes
  • Increases heartbeat
  • Constricts surface blood vessels, increasing blood pressure
  • Slows blood flow to stomach
  • Releases sugar from the liver into the bloodstream for extra energy
  • Tightens muscles.
://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285194.php

There are plenty of threads about caffeine on the forum and many of us drink decaffeinated because of the possible rise in blood sugars.
 
Thanks Catherine, I probably didnt spell caffeine right when I searched for it. Ill go check them out
 
I have found drinking black coffee on its own doesn't have any noticeable effect on me but with a meal containing carbs and then it seems to boost the effect of the carbs.
 
I drink a few cups of tea and a couple of coffee a day, doesn't seem to affect me, given up lots of my favourite foods but not giving my tea and coffee up, we have to have some pleasure tried decaffeinated tea and coffee its not the same :happy:
 
Kyi said:
Saw this article http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/daily-control-15/slideshow-blood-sugar-swings. Has anyone had any evidence of this while you have been monitoring your bloods.
Click to expand...
I think the key phrase here is "monitoring your bloods": the references are listed but not hyper-linked and I haven't tried to track them down, but even if the studies referred to showed that 99% of people's BG rises when they drink coffee, that still leaves millions in the remaining 1%. The only realistic answer is to eat to one's meter.

I myself have seen no change at all in my BG after coffee, whether black or with double cream. Lucky me :)

Kate
 
I drink a 12oz pot of coffee per day. I hope I turn out ok on the blood sugars lol I do not like water only.
 
I found it raised my blood sugar and I haven't had a cup in 4 years. I was initially diagnosed as T2 and on metformin and it was in this period when I last tried it. It sent me pretty high. Can live without it and now drink decaffeinated tea for my morning beverage.
 
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