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The effects of caffeine

D

Deb.1973

Member
Messages
18
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
I do not have diabetes
Hi, I have searched the forum and read a few things. I'm not a diabetic, just pre diabetic. My normal sugar level in the morning is about 7.1, before eating... Now I'm a caffeine addict, and the next thing after testing my blood sugar is to make myself a coffee, I have a large travel mug, that I put 3 teaspoons of coffee in, four teaspoons of sweetener( not sugar) and a dash of fat free milk... An hour later my blood sugar is 10.3 , I've read about dawn phenomenon, and also the effects of caffeine, but that seems a big increase in an hour without food... Has anyone else experienced an increase like this? Is this perfectly normal? I'm really new to trying to understand all of this... So any input would be appreciated.. Though giving up caffeine is not an option.... Not sure anyone could cope with me without coffee!!
 
We're all different @Deb.1973 , and I wouldn't think that a rise of 3mmol is particularly abnormal.
Inot the past, I have come across sweeteners that have dextrose in though, what are you using?
 
chalup said:
Probably both the sweetener and the milk, try heavy cream maybe
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Ok, will try that instead of coffee, it's really quite confusing, the things I think won't have an effect, do! Thank you!
urbanracer said:
Should be fairly neutral for blood sugar as it's mainly Aspartame.
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Yeah I checked when you said about it, odd, I will just have to experiment with different things! Thanks for the reply
 
Deb.1973 said:
Ok, will try that instead of coffee, it's really quite confusing, the things I think won't have an effect, do! Thank you!


Yeah I checked when you said about it, odd, I will just have to experiment with different things! Thanks for the reply
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There are some of the opinion that sweeteners can cause sugar spikes. Personally I have never used them but I'm sure that in Jason Fung's book there is mention that they can cause a rise in sugar levels. Try adding double cream to the coffee instead of the milk and sweetener. If you can get used to it it may help.
 
Blood glucose can rise from liver dumping, stress, exercise and being ill. So your bg rise may not be related to the coffee at all. :)
 
Caffeine does not rise blood sugar, however caffeine can prevent the blood sugar from dropping. Why? When you have elevated blood glucose your kidney starts working to get rid of the excess sugar, but when you get caffeine in your body your kidney switch from flushing sugar out of your system to concentrating on getting rid of the caffeine (because excessive amounts of caffeine can be toxic). So when you get caffeine your kidney stops to absorb the excess sugar until it get rid of all the caffeine, causing a slower decrease of blood sugar.

I'm not english, so I apologise if my writing are bad, but hopefully you got my point.
 
Caffeine CAN raise bs because it raises cortisol and adrenaline. Artificial sweeteners can too, as well as milk. Seems you have some experimenting to do
 
Deb.1973 said:
Hi, I have searched the forum and read a few things. I'm not a diabetic, just pre diabetic. My normal sugar level in the morning is about 7.1, before eating... Now I'm a caffeine addict, and the next thing after testing my blood sugar is to make myself a coffee, I have a large travel mug, that I put 3 teaspoons of coffee in, four teaspoons of sweetener( not sugar) and a dash of fat free milk... An hour later my blood sugar is 10.3 ,
Click to expand...

In both Europe and the U.S., fasting glucose of 7.0 beyond prediabetes. Even if your waking fasting level is higher than fasting level at any other time of day, a fasting of 7.1 demands measures to reduce it. Also, for postmeal to be as high as 10.3 at any time is a seriously high value. I have reached that value (to within 0.1 of it) by drinking an entire one or two liters of sweet drink. This represents a temporary huge loss of blood level control: the kidneys are triggered into dumping glucose into the urine, and that is all that is keeping the blood glucose down. To be getting to 10 on only a cup of sugar free coffee is cause for consternation.

I take in caffeine in moderate amounts, to life my mood. But I'm aware that caffeine can irritate the urinary tract, and the nerves.

Mayo Clinic has an answer to your question in a brief entry: Does caffeine affect blood sugar? The answer: not for most people.
 
Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond, It seems I have some experimenting to do, and even if I can't cut out caffeine, I can take measures to reduce it. Rega
 
Sorry didn't quite finish that. Meant to say regarding morning Bg level, i need to get focused on diet and exercise. Thanks again everyone! Really appreciate it!
 
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