In moderation, alcohol can make you feel more talkative and socially at ease. Excessive levels of alcohol, on the other hand, cause drowsiness, slurred speech and difficulty walking. Chronic alcohol abuse can have serious health consequences, especially to the liver. While hepatitis and cirrhosis indicate significant liver damage, low blood sugar is a relatively minor effect of excessive alcohol intake common in alcoholics, according to "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment, 2011." If untreated, it can be serious. Alcoholics, especially binge drinkers, tend to consume less food while drinking, and alcohol impairs the liver's ability to keep blood sugar within a normal range.
Low Blood Sugar
Normal blood sugar levels range from 70 to 115 mg/dL, according to "Maxwell Quick Medical Reference." Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, is defined as a blood glucose level less than 50 mg/dL. Symptoms include sweating, rapid heart rate and difficulty concentrating. Drinking alcohol in excess, especially on an empty stomach, can cause blood sugar levels to fall, creating alcohol-related hypoglycemia.
Normal Conditions
Your blood sugar is derived from the food you eat. Carbohydrates such as potatoes and grains get broken down to glucose, while both fats and proteins can be used to synthesize glucose. After supplying energy needs, your body stores the remaining glucose in your liver. This energy reserve assures that between meals your metabolic needs are met. In fact, blood sugar is maintained for 18 to 24 hours following a meal, on storage glucose alone. In longer periods of fasting, your liver is able to synthesize glucose from stored fat, which provides an energy reserve to last weeks, even months.
Alcohol-related Hypoglycemia
Two factors contribute to alcohol-related hypoglycemia. First, some alcoholics abstain from food during drinking binges. This depletes the liver's storage form of glucose. This on its own is not sufficient to cause hypoglycemia. Under normal circumstances, the liver is able to synthesize glucose in a process known as gluconeogenesis. However, alcohol inhibits this process, and as a result, blood sugar levels fall. If not corrected, effects such as stupor and confusion may persist long after the alcohol has worn off and may lead to seizure and coma.
Considerations
Hypoglycemia does not occur only in alcoholics. Anyone who drinks excessively, especially while abstaining from food, is at risk. The best step to avoid alcohol-related hypoglycemia is to drink in moderation. This is defined as 1 drink for women, and 2 drinks for men. More than two drinks inhibits the liver's ability to maintain adequate blood sugar levels. Also, when sugar-containing soft drinks are used as mixers to dilute alcohol in beverages, your body releases insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels and can aggravate hypoglycemia. Avoiding sugary libations is therefore a good idea. Finally, making sure to consume foods with alcohol assures a steady intake of fuel to help keep blood sugar levels steady at your next festivity.
References
- "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment"; Stephen J. McPhee; 2011
- "The Family Medicine Handbook"; Mark A. Graber; 2006
- "Maxwell Quick Medical Reference"; Robert W. Maxwell; 2006
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Foods and Food Components to Reduce
