By Life Quotes, Inc. Staff

Though many need their morning coffee for an energy boost, they may also be preventing diabetes at the same time, according to University of California Los Angeles researchers. A recent study showed that women who drink at least four cups of coffee or more a day are half as likely to develop type-2 diabetes as non-coffee drinkers.

Researchers announced that they have also discovered the source of coffee’s ability to prevent the development of the disease. Coffee may affect a protein known as sex-hormone binding globulin that regulates the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen, which have both previously been linked to diabetes. When researchers controlled their results for this protein, they found no significant difference in diabetes risk between coffee drinkers and non-drinkers, leading them to believe that SHBG is the key to the connection.

Though the exact connection is not certain, researchers have discovered two mutations on the protein; one that increases the risk of getting type-2 diabetes and one that decreases it. They also found that drinking decaffeinated coffee does not have the same effect.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and those at risk for the disease should consider looking into life insurance in the event that they develop the disease later.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.