Green Tea and Coffee Could Lower Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes

Drinking green tea and coffee is associated with decreased mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a recent study.

Previous research has suggested an association between green tea and coffee and mortality risk among patients with diabetes. However, the relationship is currently unclear.

To explore this further, the researchers conducted a prospective cohort study involving 4923 patients with type 2 diabetes followed for a median of 5.3 years. The participants reported their consumption of green tea and coffee using self-administered questionnaires.

Overall, 309 of the participants died during follow-up. The researchers found that consumption of green tea, coffee, and a combination of both was associated with reductions in all-cause mortality, with greater consumption associated with greater reductions.

“In conclusion, this prospective cohort study demonstrated that greater consumption of green tea and coffee was significantly associated with reduced all-cause mortality: the effects may be additive. Our results suggest that consuming green tea and coffee may have beneficial effects on the longevity of Japanese people with type 2 diabetes,” they wrote.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Komorita Y, Iwase M, Fujii H, et al. Additive effects of green tea and coffee on all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: the Fukuoka Diabetes Registry. Published online October 21, 2020. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001252\