How coffee reduces Type 2 diabetes risk

Previous research has shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 50 percent lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the type which accounts for 90-95 percent of diabetes cases worldwide. But, doctors did not understand the mechanics behind this phenomenon. Chinese researchers have discovered that two different types of compounds in coffee block the misfolding of a substance called human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP). The misfolding of this polypeptide has been previously implicated as a cause for Type 2 diabetes and this research further supports the idea that preventing the misfolding could be an avenue to prevent this costly disease, both through medical intervention and for the casual coffee drinker.