Caffeine could reduce diabetes during pregnancy, US study reveals

12 Nov 2021 --- Consuming up to 100 mg of caffeine during pregnancy could help reduce gestational diabetes risks by up to 47%, according to a new US study.

“While we were not able to study the association of consumption above the recommended limit, we now know that low-to-moderate caffeine is not associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia or hypertension for expecting mothers,” the study’s lead author Stefanie Hinkle, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, says.

Coffee risks during pregnancy
The recommended consumption of caffeine for pregnant women by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is less than 200 mg per day, about two 6 oz cups.

According to the study, the figure is based on previous research that suggests potential associations with pregnancy loss and fetal growth at higher caffeine levels. 

Nonetheless, there is limited data on the link between caffeine and maternal outcomes, which the study aimed to explore. Caffeine during pregnancy could reduce diabetes, but too much could pose risks.

The researchers studied data from 2,529 pregnant women in the US who reported their weekly intake of caffeinated coffee, caffeinated tea, soda and energy drinks. 

Concentrations of caffeine were also measured in the participants’ plasma at ten to 13 weeks into their pregnancies. The researchers then matched their caffeine consumption with clinical diagnoses of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

The research team found that caffeinated beverage intake at ten to 13 weeks gestation was not related to gestational diabetes risk. During the second trimester, drinking up to 100 mg of caffeine per day was associated with a 47% reduction in diabetes risk. 

There were no statistically significant differences in blood pressure, preeclampsia or hypertension between those who did and did not drink caffeine during pregnancy.

More research needed
The researchers could not rule out whether the findings are a result of constituents of coffee and tea, such as phytochemicals, which may impact inflammation and insulin resistance, leading to a lower risk for gestational diabetes.

Previous research has highlighted that caffeine consumption during pregnancy, even in amounts less than the recommended 200 mg per day, was associated with smaller neonatal anthropometric measurements, Hinkle notes.

Research on the role of caffeine and pregnancy is still ongoing. One study suggested that coffee consumption while pregnant was linked to an increase in overweight children.

A Dutch report also highlighted that potential adverse health effects of a high caffeine concentration in food supplements should not be overlooked, as this could lead to hypertension, a poor cardiovascular system and low sleep latency.

Edited by Andria Kades