Glucose intolerance, often referred to as being pre-diabetic, may increase your risk of developing diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body develops higher than normal glucose levels and the body fails or cannot properly produce insulin into the bloodstream, explains the American Diabetes Association. If you are glucose intolerant and drink alcohol, it can affect your blood glucose levels. You should check your blood sugar regularly to make sure you are within the normal range.
Diagnosis
It is important to get an accurate diagnosis of your blood sugar levels from your family physician. You will also need to inform your doctor of how many times per day that you drink alcohol. He will be able to administer blood tests to determine how much is in your system. He may order lab tests that include a glucose tolerance test, non-fasting glucose test and a hemoglobin A1C, explains Medline Plus. With a glucose tolerance test you will have your blood sugar tested and recorded on a fasting stomach. You will then consume a sugary drink and have your blood glucose retested. This helps your physician identify if you are insulin resistant or diabetic. A non-fasting glucose test involves testing blood sugar levels immediately with or without a fasting stomach. Your physician may order an A1C hemoglobin test. This test helps him identify your blood sugar level fluctuations over the past six months and is an accurate way to determine glucose intolerance.
Glucose Intolerance
Glucose intolerance occurs when the blood sugar levels rise, especially after eating, and the body does not produce enough insulin to absorb the glucose in the blood and turn it into energy. Normally the insulin would regulate the blood sugar into the normal range, but if you become glucose intolerant, it will stay high or take longer than usual to fall to normal levels.
Diabetes
Your body will give you several warning signs before you develop diabetes. One way is by becoming glucose intolerant, something that generally occurs before diabetes. Drinking excessive alcohol when you are glucose intolerant may lead to diabetes sooner. A normal range for your blood sugar should be between 70 and 100mg, explains the American Diabetic Association. With diabetes, blood sugar levels can get dangerously high and have an array of negative and side effects on your health.
Effects
When you drink alcohol, your blood sugar may quickly rise, but then drop to very low levels shortly thereafter, which can lead to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia occurs when too much insulin is in the bloodstream, explains MayoClinic.com. Because hypoglycemia can mimic the effects of alcohol, it can be dangerous when you drink, since you could easily slip into a diabetic coma.
Warnings
Not regulating your blood sugar and glucose intolerance can cause your pancreas to eventually stop producing insulin or stop producing it effectively. If you do not seek medical care to regulate your blood sugar levels, you can face serious effects with diabetes such as amputation, blindness and neuropathy. In most cases, a diabetic diet that is low in carbohydrate and medicine such as metformin to regulate insulin levels will be prescribed. Many diabetes medications do not recommend that you consume alcohol while taking them, because side effects may worsen and the medication may be less effective.
