Living a healthy diabetic lifestyle by eating well, exercising and monitoring your blood sugar does not mean you have to avoid alcohol. A drink every once in awhile can be worked into any diet, but as a diabetic, paying close attention to your body is needed to prevent any unfavorable blood sugar changes.
How Alcohol Affects Blood Glucose
We know that alcohol is metabolized in the liver, but the liver is also the same organ that helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels by releasing glucose when your blood sugar drops. According to Dlife.com, when you have consumed alcohol, your liver focuses on clearing it out, so the process of releasing glucose gets put on the back burner until all of the alcohol is metabolized out of your system. Since no glucose can be excreted internally during this time, low blood sugar becomes a big concern.
What is a Drink?
The National Institutes of Health defines one standard drink as 0.6 fluid oz. of pure alcohol. This translates to one 12 oz. beer, one 5 oz. glass of wine, 1 1/2 oz. of 80 proof hard liquor and 8 to 9 oz. of malt liquor. But beware of that mixed drink. All mixed drinks are made differently, due to the recipe or because of the person making it, and may contain more than one standard alcoholic drink.
Mixing Diabetes and Alcohol
It takes about two hours for your body to process one drink, but the American Diabetes Association reports that alcohol can have a blood glucose lowering effect immediately and last for up to 12 hours after consumption, so the danger of your blood sugar dropping low remains long after you have finished that drink. While alcohol itself lowers blood glucose, mixed drinks with high sugar bases like soda or juice can cause your blood sugar to rise. Sugary mixed drinks also contain a great number of calories, so proceed with caution if you are watching your weight.
Precautions
The biggest concern with drinking alcohol is that low blood sugar symptoms like dizziness, confusion and fatigue can mimic the effects of alcohol. For safety reasons, check your blood sugar often and be around people who know you are diabetic when drinking. Remember that alcohol's blood glucose lowering effects can last for hours, so make sure to check your blood sugar before going to sleep to prevent dangerous lows in the middle of the night.
Incorporating Alcohol Into Your Diet
Drinking with a meal or having a snack with your drink is recommended by the American Diabetes Association because it can decrease the chance of your blood sugar dropping too low. Choosing mixed drinks with no added sugars like rum with diet soda instead of regular soda or vodka in sparkling water can make controlling your blood sugars easier since these drinks are unlikely to cause it to spike. Wine and beer can slightly raise your blood sugar because they contain some carbohydrates, but the effect varies by drink and by individual. Checking your blood sugar often is the only way to ensure you are staying within range.
