Abstract
The impact of coffee (caffeine) on diabetes is an issue that has not found significant exploration in past literature. The general hypothesis and one that has been adopted in this study is that coffee and particularly it major ingredient caffeine has significant positive influence on prevention of diabetes in humans. In this experiment, the researchers utilized a sample of eleven mice that had a genetic mutation for becoming diabetic. These mice were subjected to a diet of water (control group) and diluted coffee in the experimental group (Yamauchi et al., 2010). It was assumed that the experimental group would indicate normal growth and that diabetes was not in any way likely to manifest while control group would manifest with significant cases of diabetes based on the matched aspects of weight and glucose levels. On subjection to these conditions, the researchers would have reliable evidence to falsify or prove the hypothesis. In this case, the researchers identified that while weight remained within normal ranges in both groups, the glucose levels in the coffee-consuming group were lower by up to 30% indicating significant impacts on glucose; a marker for diabetes (Yamauchi et al., 2010).
1.
Based on epidemiological studies, it has been observed that coffee consumption significantly leads to reduction in the risk of cancer and particularly colon cancer. However, the associated molecular mechanisms and the causative aspects that give coffee such ability remains unidentified (Bøhn, Blomhoff, & Paur, 2014). This experiment based on mice sought to determine the effects of coffee on diabetes prevalence manifestation. Apparently, based on the results, the consumption of coffee did not indicate any particular influence on the body weight. However, on the mice that drank water, there were significant increases in the glucose levels as compared to those that drank coffee which indicated lower glucose concentrations by up to 30% (Yamauchi et al., 2010). This randomized controlled trial on mice included the experimental group of mice which was provided with coffee and the control group which was provided with water. In this case therefore, the weight of the mice and glucose levels were the dependent variables while coffee was the independent variable. From these results, we can identify that caffeine provides beneficial effects for diabetic patients if utilized.
2.
While in this study the researchers achieved results that align with the conventional knowledge of the impact of coffee on weight and glucose levels, the sample size utilized was small and therefore could not be generalized to a larger population. However, on the aspects of utilizing an experimental and control group, the researchers were able to provide a comparative set of results to help eliminate the impacts of extraneous variables such as the respective growth, development and genetic factors associated with each of the mouse. This study therefore ably eliminated any potential biases that might have occurred. These results would however not be effective for generalization to the human population since the lifestyle of humans and that of mice are significantly different and this can only be used as a platform to test the impacts of coffee in human population (Yanow & Schwartz-Shea, 2015). A similar study, but involving humans subjected to the normal living conditions for humans would have been more effective for generalization. Similarly, the confined nature to which the mice were subjected over the course of the study implies that there was minimal exposure to normal conditions and therefore the confined location could have significantly influenced the variables being tested (Yanow & Schwartz-Shea, 2015). Further, on the use of mice that had a mutation for diabetes, the researchers may have tried to influence the research results. The mutated genes could easily be triggered not only by the independent factor (coffee) but other underlying factors which may not have been adequately controlled in the experiment. The researchers should have opted for normal-growing mice and whose genetic makeup has not been significantly altered as in this case (Yanow & Schwartz-Shea, 2015).
3. Relevance of the research
This research provides a platform on which future research can be conducted on humans to determine the impacts of caffeine on diabetic or pre-diabetic patients. With the current results, I am positive that in a case where I am managing a diabetic patient, I would prepare a care plan that includes high intake of caffeine to help regulate their glucose levels. As it is, research should focus on determining the long term effects of caffeine in humans since the current experimental results only assure the patient of results in the short term. Similarly, any side effects related to the long term use of caffeine need to be explored if at all the apparent hypothesis on coffee and diabetic management or prevention have to be assumed as true (Yanow & Schwartz-Shea, 2015).
References
Bøhn, S. K., Blomhoff, R., & Paur, I. (2014). Coffee and cancer risk, epidemiological evidence, and molecular mechanisms. Molecular nutrition & food research, 58(5), 915-930.
Yamauchi, R., Kobayashi, M., Matsuda, Y., Ojika, M., Shigeoka, S., Yamamoto, Y., & Horio, F. (2010). Coffee and caffeine ameliorate hyperglycemia, fatty liver, and inflammatory adipocytokine expression in spontaneously diabetic KK-Ay mice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 58(9), 5597-5603.
Yanow, D., & Schwartz-Shea, P. (2015). Interpretation and method: Empirical research methods and the interpretive turn. Routledge.
