Insulin-dependent diabetes, also known as type 1 diabetes, is caused by your immune system attacking your pancreas so it does not produce enough insulin. If you have this kind of diabetes, you need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Alcohol consumption must be carefully monitored, as it an be dangerous for your body.
Alcohol and the Liver
To understand how alcohol can affect insulin-dependent diabetes, you need to understand how alcohol affects the liver. When you consume alcohol, your liver is in charge of breaking down and metabolizing the alcohol. While your liver cells are busy doing this, they cannot perform other tasks, including responding to low levels of blood glucose. When blood glucose levels get too low, the liver can break down stores of carbohydrates known as glycogen to boost blood glucose levels. This process is impaired when you drink alcohol.
Type 1 Diabetes and Alcohol
If you have type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes, alcohol consumption can lead to low blood glucose levels, also known as hypoglycemia. People with type 1 diabetes have to take insulin injections to keep their blood glucose levels from being too high. These injections can cause sudden changes in blood glucose levels, resulting in hypoglycemia. Alcohol impairs the body's ability to correct hypoglycemia, which can be very serious.
Drinking Alcohol Safely
Drinking alcohol is very difficult for people with type 1 diabetes. If you do drink, only do so when your blood glucose has been well controlled for several days. If possible, avoid drinking alcohol shortly after you receive an insulin injection and monitor your blood glucose levels frequently to check for indications of hypoglycemia. Drink alcohol only in moderation, and avoid consuming large quantities very quickly.
Hypoglycemia Signs and Treatment
If you become hypoglycemic, you may feel weak, dizzy, confused, light-headed, fatigued or may develop sudden mood changes. Other signs of hypoglycemia are cold sweats, double vision, hunger and nervousness. If you develop hypoglycemia, the best way to treat it is to eat some easily digested carbohydrate source, such as juice or some sort of sweet. This will increase your blood glucose levels.
