Researchers have found that women who have less than four cups of coffee are 56% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes as compared to women who don’t consume coffee.
A team of researchers have also found an answer to why coffee guards against type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. The study is published in current issue of the journal ‘Diabetes’.
The researchers at UCLA reveal that a molecular mechanism is involved in this. Type 2 diabetes is said to occur due to the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone. Sex hormone–binding globulin controls the biological activity of these sex hormones. The plasma levels are required by the body in order to function properly.
The researchers further added that consuming coffee results in an increase in plasma levels of SHBG.
The study was conducted on 359 diabetes patients and a similar number of healthy controls belonging to the same age group.
The Lead Author of the study is Atsushi Goto, a doctoral student in epidemiology.
The researchers found that women consuming three to four cups of coffee have a higher level of SHBG.
It was found that when the level of SHBG was kept the same, the coffee did not have a protective effect.