Alcohol And Diabetes – Effects Of Drinking Alcohol With Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not use or produce insulin properly. The cause of this disease is still a mystery that affects more than 20 million people in the United States. It is estimated that more than 6 million people do not know they have diabetes.
Mixing alcohol and diabetes can be risky business. It’s hard enough for people with diabetes to control their diet without consuming alcohol. They not only have to watch what they eat, but also how much they eat. It is only by following a proper diet and planning careful meals that diabetics can control the disease and regulate it in order to live longer and healthier lives.
Drinking too much alcohol makes it very difficult for a diabetic’s body to maintain the proper blood sugar levels in their system. Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream without being fully metabolized in the stomach. It takes about two hours for a normal person to metabolize an average alcoholic beverage. But when a person with diabetes drinks alcohol, they are at risk of developing hypoglycemia very quickly.
People with diabetes who drink alcohol are still at risk of developing hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is what causes reactions in diabetics. When alcohol is consumed, the liver focuses all of its attention on removing the alcohol from the body. This means the liver doesn’t have time to supply the glucose the body needs, leading to hypoglycemia, a diabetic’s nightmare. When a diabetic has consumed alcohol, even a dose of Glucagon will be ineffective in increasing hypoglycemia because alcohol will prevent Glucagon from working.
After all, that doesn’t necessarily mean that someone with diabetes should never drink alcohol. This is something that should be discussed with a doctor. People with type II diabetes are better candidates for the occasional drink. There are even papers in medical journals that explain how women with type II diabetes can reduce the risk of complications associated with the disease by consuming alcohol in moderation. The effects of alcohol can decrease insulin resistance only when the alcohol consumed is a few drinks per day. If, after consulting your doctor, and your doctor tells you that you can drink alcohol occasionally, follow some common sense guidelines when drinking alcohol.
Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Eating food before drinking helps alcohol metabolize faster, so your blood sugar levels are more likely not to drop. Drink light beer instead of the regular variety. When consuming mixed drinks, stick with sugar-free mixes. When drinking wine, stick with dry wines. Always drink in moderation. If you don’t, you are putting yourself at risk with your diabetes. More than a few drinks can cause your blood sugar to drop too low.
Overall, diabetes is the silent killer. It would be much safer not to drink at all. If you see your doctor and can have a few drinks on occasion, be sure to drink only in moderation for your own health.
