In earlier posts, I've referred to some research which showed that caffeine ingestion appeared to cause sustained elevations of blood glucose and insulin, which could lead to or worsen insulin resistance. Natrushka posted those studies, and it seems that the effect was seen following the consumption of a large amount of pure glucose. You can read those studies here.

Other suggestions are that caffeine's stimulant effect causes an increase in adrenaline and cortisol, the stress hormones. The elevated cortisol levels are known to cause higher blood sugars, and hence increased insulin. As well, caffeine appears to cause the level of cortisol to stay elevated for a longer time than from other stimulants.

One thing about coffee, whether decaf or regular .. is that it has carbs. One 8 fl. oz. cup has 1g ... and most mugs hold 10 to 12 oz. If you're having several mugs of coffee per day, plus a packet of sweetener and/or some cream in each one, you could be racking up quite a few carbs. It really is best to limit to one or two cups a day, whether decaf or fully leaded, and maybe learn to like it black


hth,

Doreen