Diabetes is a condition that is caused by an inability by the body to either produce enough insulin or respond properly to this pancreatic hormone. People with diabetes have to carefully monitor their blood glucose levels. If you are diabetic, you should be careful when consuming alcohol, as it can negatively affect your blood glucose levels.
Alcohol and Blood Glucose Levels
The main danger of alcohol for diabetics is that alcohol can lower your blood glucose levels. When alcohol is in your bloodstream, your liver works to metabolize and break down the alcohol. While your liver is doing this, it cannot release glucose into your blood, so your blood glucose levels can dip, DLife.com explains. This is especially dangerous if you are taking certain oral medications for diabetes, such as sulfonylureas and meglitinide, as these medications can cause low blood glucose as a side effect.
Hypoglycemia Symptoms
Abnormally low blood glucose levels are also known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can cause dizziness, disorientation and drowsiness. This can be problematic if you are consuming alcohol because the symptoms of drunkenness are similar, the American Diabetes Association explains. If you are suffering from hypoglycemia, but the people around you think that you are merely drunk, you might not get the right treatment. The American Diabetes Association recommends that you wear an ID bracelet identifying yourself as a diabetic to help avoid this confusion.
Steps You Can Take
Alcohol consumption is possible if you have diabetes, but there are some precautions you should take. Most importantly, you should not have more than two drinks per day, and you should never combine exercise and alcohol consumption, as both activities lower your blood glucose levels. Also make sure that you do not drink on an empty stomach and carry around glucose tablets or other glucose sources, such as orange juice, when you are drinking, the Mayo Clinic explains, to bring up your blood glucose levels in the event you become hypoglycemic.
Alcohol and Calories
A sometimes overlooked aspect of alcohol consumption for diabetics is the calories it adds to the diet. If you have type 2 diabetes and are overweight, developing and maintaining a healthy weight is important for controlling your diabetes. Not only do alcoholic beverages add extra calories to your diet, but they can also lessen your resolve to follow a healthy meal plan. Be sure to factor in the calories from alcoholic beverages when planning your diet and resist the urge to overindulge.
