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• February 9, 2010 7:46 a.m.

  I used to drink strong organic cofee here in Ethiopia, almost daily after lunch, with adequate suger, for over ten years. I had no a family history of diabetus and encouraged by the good news about the role of cofee in many health problems. Therefore i was living sedentary life for years. But now i am almost diagnosed as a diabetic type II patient. My blood glucose was as high as 298 per dl. I remember the cofee makes me anexious and worried for any trival issue. It has added so much stress in my life. I quited almost every thing after the diagnosis. Currently, I am on metformin, diet and exercise. I hope my BS has to go down. I am happy if you can give me a little advice as i have to start the life treatments and how should i reduce stress ful life

  - Markos

• February 3, 2010 7:25 p.m.

  Strangely, I have been to the Mayo Clinic many times and have repeatably told there is no such thing as hypoglycemia. Yet, they have many articles on it and i know that I have a lifetime history with hypoglycemia. I recently took a fasting blood test at the Mayo and my glucose levels were quite high. I indicated I drank coffee with my supper but none after fasting. I was subsequently criticized for drinking sweeten coffee all night long and my doctor threatened to stop seeing me. I hate sweetners and never use them but just a warning, never drink coffee the night before taking a fasting blood test, even though the brocher says you can drink it all night long, or the same thing could happen to you. I am now black listed for life in the eyes of my doctor.

  - Edward

• February 3, 2010 6:51 p.m.

  Hi -- I just got diagnosed with hypoglycemia and I love coffee, so this post caught my eye. However, I drink decaffeinated coffee with Silk creamer and sugar. I was happy to see Jan's note, but wonder if any others have had an experience of glucose spikes with decaf. I feel like it is affecting me even though it is decaf, which is making me quite sad as coffee (even decaf) is my absolute favorite drink. Maybe it's the sugar?

  - Rebecca

• February 3, 2010 4:37 p.m.

  Regular coffee raises my blood sugar unless I drink it with a meal. Coffee, on it's own, causes sugar level to rise and, shortly after my sugar level drops drastically. I get very sleepy when this happens. When I drink decaffeinated coffee, my sugar level stays steady.

  - Jan

• February 3, 2010 7:46 a.m.

  There may be some effect, but I wouldn't know, since I use caffeine regularly. Like most things, consistency is the key. If it's part of your regular routine, you can adjust insulin and other inputs as needed.

  - Matthew

• January 28, 2010 6:54 a.m.

  caffeine causes an adrenal response which causes a rise in bs... a "re use" of stored glucose (glycogen)...glucose enters the blood and is ready for use in fueling fight/flight. If no fight/flight ensues, the bs can remain in the blood, be stored as glycogen, or be stored as intra abdominal fat (in the omenta) Diabetics should avoid caffeine, especially those using meds such as metformin. effects of caffeine remain for up to 18 hours for just one standard 8oz cup. Unless caffeine is being used to fuel physical activity, get your antioxidants elsewhere.

  - suzi

• January 25, 2010 10:07 p.m.

  When my sugar is getting too high i always get headaches, they come on fast , but coffee seems to settle them and make me fell better. I dont see a big difference in my tests with coffee . But i dont think i am making a valid test. Also coffee is know to reduce headaches..I cant drink it everyday but when i can i sure do..

  - Jackie

• January 10, 2010 3:25 a.m.

  Four months ago, My blood sugar was at about 100 - 110 fasting in the morning. Four months ago, I started taking 600 mg Lopid for lowering my blood triglycerite. Now, my blood sugar in the morning is at 160 fasting. And I have started to fell numbness in my small fingers and sharp pain in my feet and left eye.. When I exercise, I start shaking, feel nauseated after 1/2 hour. Should I stop talking the Lopid? I have started to take apple vinegar, with ginger and lemon and garlic. It is helping me very much. Are these any natural supplements for treating diabetics? When I drink coffee, I become hungry after 2-3 hours.

  - Monte

• January 7, 2010 10:30 a.m.

  Have always had a problem with caff. Took me many years to recognize it. I am hypoglacemic. Caff. will cause low blood sugar in me and stomach upset for as day after. Have to differ as to water will not cause low blood sugar. Typical low blood sugar episode for me is Summer working out hard sweating drinking water to stay hydrated I reach a point that I believe the water has dilluted my blood sugar. If I drink more water I will throw up become disoriented etc. If I drink an energy drink with some sugar in it I will be ok. Just my experience. Just recently had sugar in urine in trip to doctors office have not been able to repeat sugar in urine. c1c was 150 but I drink 4 16oz soft drinks a day.

  - Eddie

• January 5, 2010 12:38 a.m.

  Cafeeine, regardless of its source, exacerbates (speeds up) the use of sugar in your system. Therefore, you will first note a brief rise in your energy level fromthe increase of sugar speeding through your system, then the "crash" that is so noteable for those of us suffering from hypoglycemia, when the rush of sugar is gone. Best to avoidthe caffeine or plan for the varied blood sugar curve.

  - carin

• January 2, 2010 7:57 a.m.

  I am type I and I have had some pretty severe low b/s after drinking large amounts of coffee- I don't buy that theory that coffee makes your b/s rise. However, I know that many things affect b/s, and I'm not ready to blame my low b/s entirely on the coffee

  - Sara

• December 29, 2009 6:22 a.m.

  I am not diabetic, however if I drink too much coffee (a must if you are a flight attendant, the hours sometimes suck) my blood sugar bottoms out and I get disoriented, sweaty, shaky, etc. If I find something with sugar in it the symptoms go away within 10-15 minutes. I am on my way to the doctor today for a glucose tolerance test just to be sure

  - karen

• December 28, 2009 3:48 p.m.

  I drink the same "dose" of coffee and (nonfat) milk and Splenda every morning (weekends too), and at about the same time every day. I don't find any BS problems. Tho it does make my bladder more active in the mornings too, I've noticed. I honestly think the stimulant of the caffeine outweighs the effects of the lactose in the milk. I'v noticed that adding even a few drops of flavor syrup (hazelnut, not no-sugar kind) will trigger a much higher BS rise. So, I think my body is "used to" my regular morning coffee routine. BTW, I agree with "Its not the caffeine itself, but the act of ingesting anything you could probably get that result drinking water." I've seen studies of people who's BS went up merely from smelling the scent of bacon cooking! So, could be either.

  - Cat

• December 27, 2009 4:33 p.m.

  What about the caffeine in diet pop? Is this different than what's in coffee? Doesn't seem to affect me sugar-wise.

  - Sue

• December 21, 2009 5:41 p.m.

  I have type 2 diabetes and have really cut down on caffeine. Most of the time it makes me ravenously hungry and I eat anything I can get my hands on. However, I can at times have it, especially after a meal it does not affect me as much.

  - Linda

• December 20, 2009 7:06 a.m.

  I drink beer regularly but it doesn't seem to affect my blood sugar levels very much. I am thankful. Is this normal?

  - Greg

• December 19, 2009 4:20 p.m.

  Simple, healthy recipes from nutrition experts showcase pistachio nuts as the new, high protein, cholesterol-free snack for people living healthy lifestyles. If you’re working on weight management, chronic disease prevention, dealing with heart disease, living with diabetes, managing your blood sugar level, or just living healthy, check it out: http://thegreennut.org/health/index.html High protein, high fiber snacks are great for keeping blood sugar levels steady, and new research shows that pistachio nuts are a great match if you’re looking for healthy snacks, in recipes or out of the package. http://thegreennut.org/news/index.html Celebrity chefs cooking heart healthy, low-fat, high protein recipes with pistachio nuts are really putting some interesting things together for people who want to eat well, and for people dealing with weight management, chronic disease prevention, and heart disease: http://thegreennut.org/recipes/index.html This is an awesome pistachio and salmon lunch or dinner recipe from celebrity chef Jesse Brune. It’s yummy and heart healthy, with lots of protein, fiber, and good fats http://thegreennut.org/recipes/07-pistachio-dusted-roast-salmon.html

  - patty

• December 6, 2009 5:54 a.m.

  Even drinking my coffee with splenda and half-n-half, if I take my "fasting" level after my first cup I stay within my range- I only see a less than 10 point rise.

  - Bobbi

• December 2, 2009 9:57 p.m.

  I think its touch and go at first, you need to check your blood sugar often and especially with new foods, i think different foods affect different people different, so practice, I saw one person using sugar in their coffee, you'd think "sugar" hey, thats the cause of my problem...so moderate amount of food and see how it affects you, one day may be different from the next, test test test and test again, this may not be what diabetic educators say, but it works for me, work it out on your terms.

  - Fred

• December 2, 2009 10:59 a.m.

  I'm curious how caffine affects Type 1 diabetics - my husband drinks a lot of coffee.

  - barb

• December 2, 2009 3:47 a.m.

  Like Mark below....I also suffer from hypoglycemia. Coffee seems to trigger episodes of low blood sugar. Since I had a serious low blood sugar attack drinking coffee, after taking a fasting blood sugar test (in which I came close to passing out), I've avoided caffeine all together. It was a scary experience.

  - brian

• December 1, 2009 10:55 p.m.

  When I was in a diabetic clinic, was told I could have black coffee the morning of a fasting blood draw. After repeated spikes, had to quit that and only drink water. After the draw at the clinic, I could have a cup and every time I'd have a spike. Who knows?

  - Pat

• November 29, 2009 2:49 p.m.

  Does hyperinsulinemia cause tinnitus ? I´ve noticed that coffe and even a low sugar diet increases tinnitus

  - Fabio

• November 27, 2009 11:27 p.m.

  And, Mark, I have to put creamer in mine, Can't drink it black.

  - terry

• November 27, 2009 11:25 p.m.

  Mark, I have the same reaction, probably pre diabetic now but coffe really can effe3ct my BS. May drop it dwn.. i have to eat almonds or protein with it.

  - terry