Alcoholic beverages come in many forms. Scientists have found that the effects of alcohol ingestion on blood sugar vary according to drink. Diabetic and hypoglycemic people need to know how alcohol will affect their blood sugar as part of the quest to normalize their glucose levels while enjoying an occasional alcoholic drink. Investigating the effects of alcohol on glucose production addresses this narrow topic. Bear in mind that there are other detrimental health effects of alcohol overindulgence or prolonged alcohol consumption.
Physiology
The amount of glucose molecules in your blood at any given time relates directly to the foods you eat and how much insulin your pancreas releases in response. The insulin enables glucose to enter your body's cells, where it gets used for energy. If you ingest more glucose than your pancreas can supply insulin for, you rob the cells robbed of their nourishment. The glucose molecules accumulate in your blood, and their corrosiveness damages your blood vessels. Insufficient glucose intake causes hypoglycemia, a state of cell sugar starvation. Alcohol affects both these processes to different degrees.
Beer/Glucose Study
In a study reported in the "South African Medical Journal," researchers compared glucose levels of two groups of subjects after the subjects drank plain bottled beer and beer containing sorghum, a tropical grass grain. Tests with subjects who drank "hard" liquor with a sugary mixture, such as gin and tonic, were also included. The study's results showed that both the mixed drinks and the nonsorghum beer increased blood sugar significantly. The sorghum beer produced a much lower increase in blood glucose. Because a surge in serum glucose often results in low blood sugar when it plummets, alcohol usually causes hypoglycemia. This study reported a much lower incidence of hypoglycemia from drinking sorghum beer compared to nonsorghum beer or a mixed drink.
Wine/Glucose Study
Another study, reported in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," involved a comparison between drinking various wines and drinking an alcoholic drink diluted with water. The ingestion of four wines and the alcohol drink produced the same insignificant decrease in blood glucose. A few subjects experienced a slight rise in blood glucose, less significant than the change in blood sugar level after eating a meal. Researchers concluded that, in moderate amounts, wine did not have a detrimental effect on glucose regulation. Further, they hypothesized that the carbohydrate content of the wines was not significant enough to effect blood sugar levels.
ADA Recommendations
The American Diabetes Association lists some guidelines for diabetics who choose to drink alcohol to follow. Women should limit their daily intake to either one cocktail, a glass of wine or a beer. Men should limit intake to two of the same. You can stretch these limits slightly by watering down your drinks with diet soda, club soda or plain water. Eat before drinking alcohol, and keep a low-sugar nonalcoholic drink with you to quench your thirst. Sip rather than drink your cocktail, beer or wine. Avoid drinking alcohol when you don't have your blood sugar under control. Wear a diabetic identification bracelet. Be aware that alcohol interacts negatively with many diabetes medications, so speak to your physician about this.
