Role of caffeine in preventing diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an ophthalmic complication of diabetes and the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in this patient population.

DR is a frequent complication of microangiopathy in Catalonia, Spain, and its incidence is expected to increase due to increasing diabetes, obesity, and an aging population. Nutritional therapy is therefore essential for diabetes management and helps prevent late-stage diabetes complications.

study: Caffeine and risk of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetes: findings from clinical and studies. Image credit: ARZTSAMUI / Shutterstock.com

Caffeine and DR

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is an active food ingredient important to health. Major sources of caffeine include certain foods such as tea, coffee, energy drinks, cola, chocolate, alcoholic beverages, and gum.

Coffee is the richest source of caffeine consumed daily by most people around the world. Many studies have shown that drinking 2-3 cups of coffee reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease.

However, a recent review indicated that the association between DR and caffeine remains unclear. For example, drinking 2 or more cups of coffee daily has been reported to be inversely correlated with her DR prevalence in a T2D patient.

Another study showed that daily caffeine intake altered the retinal microvasculature in adults and may increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, while another study showed that diabetic macular edema reported a protective effect of caffeine on the blood-retinal barrier in a cellular model of retina. However, few studies have reported a neuroprotective effect of green tea on the retina of diabetic rats.

About research

new research in nutrients We discuss the relationship between caffeine intake and DR risk in type 2 diabetic patients without other late diabetic complications. We use an diabetes model to assess the effects of caffeine.

The current study included 144 T2D patients with DR and 147 T2D without DR. Recruitment of participants took place between March 2010 and his January 2013 at the DR Screening and Treatment Program conducted at Arnaude Vilanova University Hospital, Lleida, Spain. Gender, age, self-reported ethnic group, physical activity, smoking habits, blood pressure, educational level, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and antihypertensive and hypolipidemic medications were obtained from all participants.

Data on antidiabetic treatment and duration of diabetes were also obtained. Blood and urine samples were collected from all participants after a 12-hour fast. A validated 101-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess usual intake of food and nutrients, followed by calculation of caffeine intake.

In diabetes models, db/db male mice and non-diabetic control male mice (db/+) were administered caffeine or vehicle eye drops. Caffeine or vehicle eye drops were administered to each eye of mice twice daily for 2 weeks.

After euthanizing mice, mouse retinas were stained with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) to assess the extent of neurovascular damage caused by either treatment. In addition, we determined the permeability of the retinal vasculature by measuring the amount of albumin that leaks out of the retina using the Evans blue method.

Investigation result

Patients with DR are older, have larger waist circumference, more frequent hypertension, higher systolic blood pressure, higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, longer duration of diabetes, and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels. It was high and low. education level.

T2D patients with the lowest caffeine intake were more frequently affected by DR. However, no significant association was observed between coffee and tea consumption and the prevalence of DR. However, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, and hypertension were associated with greater risk of DR.

No differences in blood glucose concentration and body weight were observed in db/db mice treated with caffeine compared to control mice.

Histological examination revealed that GFAP expression was restricted to the retinal ganglion cell layer in nondiabetic mice compared with diabetic mice. Notably, caffeine-fed mice did not show increased GFAP expression, indicating that there was no increase in reactive gliosis as a result of caffeine exposure.

Non-diabetic mice showed less albumin leakage than vehicle-treated diabetic mice. Albumin leakage was lower in caffeine-treated diabetic mice than in vehicle-treated ones, but this difference was small.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that moderate and high intakes of caffeine prevent the development of DR. people with diabetesNevertheless, this difference was not replicated when comparing coffee and tea drinkers. This may be due to the various antioxidant compounds found in these drinks, which may also offer some protection against DR. moreover, live The results of the current study did not show any effects of caffeine on the retina.

Further research is needed to understand the potential benefits of caffeine consumption and how other compounds found in tea and coffee contribute to these effects. Additional research is also needed on potential mechanisms for

Limitations

The current study was unable to establish a relationship between caffeine intake and the development of DR. A second limitation was due to the small sample size of the human study. Finally, the presence of other compounds in caffeinated beverages was not analyzed.