Daily consumption of green tea and coffee reduces the risk of death in people with diabetes

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Abundant consumption of green tea and coffee reduces the risk of death from any cause among people with type 2 diabetes, a study says.

The results show that drinking 4 or more cups of green tea plus 2 or more cups of coffee daily reduces the risk of death by 63% over about 5 years.

People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop circulatory diseases, dementia, cancer and bone fractures. And despite a growing number of effective medications, lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet remain the cornerstone of treatment.

Previously published studies suggest that regular consumption of green tea and coffee may be beneficial to health due to various bioactive compounds found in these beverages.

But some of these studies have been conducted on people with diabetes. So the researchers decided to examine the potential effects of green tea and coffee, individually and together, on the risk of death among people with the disease.

They followed 4,923 Japanese people (2,790 men, 2,133 women) with type 2 diabetes (mean age 66) for an average of just over 5 years. They were all enrolled in the Fukuoka Diabetes Registry, a multicenter prospective study that studies the effects of drug treatment and lifestyle on the lifespan of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Results

Drinking up to 1 cup of green tea per day was associated with a 15% lower chance of death; drinking 2-3 cups was associated with a 27% lower chance. Drinking 4 or more cups daily was associated with a 40% lower chance.

Among coffee drinkers, drinking one cup per day was 12% lower; while 1 cup per day was associated with a 19% lower chance. And 2 or more cups were associated with a 41% lower chance.