Adults with type 2 diabetes who drink green tea and coffee — especially in substantial amounts — may have a reduced risk of death, according to a study in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.
Approximately 5000 adults in Japan with type 2 diabetes completed a dietary questionnaire and were followed for roughly 5 years. During that time, 309 participants died.
After multivariable adjustment, the risk for all-cause death decreased as consumption of green tea and coffee increased. This was observed when there was consumption of Green Tea & Coffee individually, as well as when both drinks were consumed together. The effects became more pronounced as the amount of consumption increased.
Participants who drank 4 or more cups of green tea or 2 or more cups of coffee daily had about a 40% reduced risk for death compared with those who didn’t drink the beverage. Participants who drank 4 or more cups of green tea plus 2 or more cups of coffee daily had a 63% reduced risk. So, the more coffee and green tea you drink the longer you’ll apparently live, if you’re a diabetic.
The authors note that the findings may not apply outside Japan in part because the composition of green tea may differ in other countries. And we all know how the quality of coffee can vary from cup to cup. We need to also take into consideration that these results may be impacted when sweeteners or other products are added, such as milk or milk substitutes. This was also extrapolated from patient questionnaires, which can pose some limitations for interpreting these statistics.
Whether these specific longevity results can be extrapolated to non-diabetic individuals is not clear, but there is an abundance of research showcasing a wide variety of health benefits from drinking both green tea and coffee in the general population. In fact, many health supplements contain EGCGs derived from green tea due to the potent antioxidant properties.
Justin Groode MD | Patient Advocate Alliance LLC
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I would like to acknowledge the NEJM’s Journal Watch for their commentary about this research.
