Caffeine Reduces Mortality Risk in Women with Diabetes

There is growing evidence that caffeine can be beneficial when consumed in moderate amounts. A new study presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes suggests that coffee may have even more health benefits than previously known.

The authors report that drinking 1 cup of coffee per day could reduce mortality rate more than 50% for women with diabetes, which is a significant reduction.

In the study, the authors analyzed the link between caffeine consumption and mortality among 1568 women and 1484 men with diabetes. Patients self-reported caffeine intake, including the source of caffeine.

The authors adjusted for potentially confounding factors, such as body mass index, income, education, alcohol intake, smoking, hypertension, and time since diagnosis.

Over the 11-year study period, the researchers reported 618 deaths; however, there was no link between caffeine and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, or cancer-related mortality in men, according to the study.

Interestingly, women who consumed up to 100-mg of caffeine—or 1 cup of coffee—had a 51% lower risk of premature death compared with women who abstained from caffeine.

Women who consumed 100-mg to 200-mg of caffeine had a 57% lower risk of mortality than those who did not consume caffeine, while women who consumed more than 200-mg had a 66% lower mortality rate, suggesting a dose-dependent relationship, according to the study.

"Our study showed a dose-dependent protective effect of caffeine consumption on all-cause mortality among women," the authors wrote.

The authors also found that women who got their caffeine from tea also had lower rates of mortality.

"Women who consumed more caffeine from tea had reduced mortality from cancer," the authors wrote.

Women who consumed the highest levels of caffeine from tea were 80% less likely to develop cancer compared with women who did not consume caffeine through tea, according to the study.

These findings suggest that caffeine consumed through coffee and tea may reduce the rate of premature mortality. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings, according to the authors.

“The effect on mortality appears to depend on the source of caffeine, with a protective effect of coffee consumption on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, and a protective effect of caffeine from tea on cancer mortality among women with diabetes,” the authors concluded. "However, our observational study cannot prove that caffeine reduces the risk of death but only suggests the possibility of such a protective effect."