Coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has increased in recent years in both developed and developing countries, and several risk factors and co-morbities have been described. Among the physiopathological mechanisms for the disease, oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to both its development and complications. However, the bioactive components of coffee, non-phenolic (caffeine, trigonelline, nicotinic acid) and phenolic compounds (chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid) have been associated with effects on glucose metabolism, and a possible protective effect of coffee on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus has emerged. This chapter describes the epidemiological data relating coffee consumption and the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus, and also presents and discusses the mechanisms that have been proposed for the beneficial effects of coffee and its bioactive components on glucose metabolism. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.