Glucose, also known as blood sugar, comes from the food we eat. Glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream and is delivered to all of the cells and organs in the body to be used as energy. A large portion of blood sugar comes from carbohydrates, such as fruits, bread and pasta. When blood sugar drops, the body can make more glucose. When levels get too high, the body secretes insulin to absorb glucose. Drinking alcohol can negatively impact glucose levels; the effect, however, typically sends sugar levels down.
Alcohol and Blood Sugar
The body needs glucose for energy. When blood sugar levels get too low, the body responds by releasing more glucose into the blood. When you drink alcohol, which, to the body, is like a poison, it's the liver's responsibility to break it down and metabolize it. If the liver is working on excreting too many toxins from your body, such as after a bout of heavy drinking it can't release glucose into the blood. Alcohol and sugars in alcoholic beverages can cause blood glucose to go too high, according to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. It can take the liver two hours to break down one drink in a person who weighs 150 lbs., and twice the amount of time for four drinks.
Diabetes and Alcohol
For people with diabetes, the risk concerning alcohol consumption is primarily hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Alcohol can interfere with the production of glucose, allowing levels of blood sugar to plummet. On the other hand, according to the American Diabetes Association, drinking alcohol also tends to lower your resolve and interfere with eating habits necessary for controlling glucose. Eating foods high in carbohydrates and fat will cause glucose to rise rapidly. Portion size also impacts blood sugar. Overeating -- especially carbs and fat -- and drinking beverages that contain carbs, such as milk and juice, both common mixers used in alcoholic beverages, can trigger a dramatic rise in blood sugar very quickly, according to the University of Illinois Extension.
Blood Sugar Levels
Normal blood sugar levels, according to Dr. Steven Edelman, MD, a professor of medicine from the University of California, are less than 100 mg per deciliter. After eating a meal, it's typical for levels to rise to between 135 to 140 mg per deciliter. Hypoglycemia is measured at 60 to 65 mg per deciliter. When glucose levels reach 180 to 200, it's considered high and can exceed the capacity of your kidneys to reabsorb excess glucose, forcing the body to excrete it through urine. Glucose levels can even get as high as the 400 to 500s, according to Edward Horton, MD, a diabetes researcher at Harvard Medical School.
Alcohol Effects
Alcohol interferes with the three known glucose sources in the body and negatively impacts hormones responsible for maintaining normal blood sugar levels. According to Montana State University, chronic drinking can cause hyperglycemia, or high glucose levels. Regular alcohol use reduces the body's ability to respond to insulin and can lead to glucose intolerance in healthy people as well as those with alcohol-related liver disease. People who do not have diabetes, do not abuse alcohol and who drink in moderation, however, may actually experience improved insulin levels, according to a 2002 study published in "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism."
References
- ABC News: What is Glucose (Sugar in the Blood) and What Purpose Does it Serve?; Steven Edelman, M.D; August 2008
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center: Alcohol Diabetes and You
- EndocrineWeb: Insulin Regulation of Blood Sugar and Diabetes; June 2011
- American Diabetes Association: Alcohol
- University of Illinois Extension; What Impacts Blood Glucose Levels?
- ABC News: What is the Normal Range for Blood Sugar Levels, And What Blood Sugar Level Constitutes a True Emergency?; August 2008
