Drinking alcohol can sometimes raise your blood sugar. Sweet mixers and other drinks with sugar can cause your blood glucose levels to be high. Increases in blood sugar levels can be more dramatic after drinking if you are diabetic, because your body is less able to regulate glucose metabolism.
How it Works
Alcoholic drinks without sugar do not raise your blood glucose because they do not contain any carbohydrates that can be broken down to glucose, according to the Glycemic Index Foundation at the University of Sydney. Beer, port wines, liqueurs, wine coolers, some cocktails and sweet drinks do contain sugars that increase your blood glucose. Consuming more of these drinks will result in a bigger increase in sugar.
Hunger
Alcohol can also make you hungry, according to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. If you eat carbohydrates while drinking, they will further add to the sugar in your blood. Your liver participates in the metabolism of both glucose and alcohol. When you drink, your liver begins to break down the alcohol first, which delays its response to changes in blood sugar levels, according to MayoClinic.com.
Types of Drinks
Alcoholic drinks that are less likely to raise your blood sugar include distilled spirits like vodka, gin and whiskey. They can be combined with mixers that do not contain sugar, such as water, club soda, seltzer water, diet tonic or diet soda. Other drinks that contain little or no sugar include dry wines, wine spritzers and light beer. If you are taking medications, consult your doctor about possible interactions that may affect your blood glucose.
Additional Information
While sweet drinks can raise your blood sugar, alcohol can also lower it. Heavy alcohol consumption on an empty stomach can result in hypoglycemia because your liver will metabolize the alcohol before breaking down its glycogen stores to boost low blood sugar levels. If you are diabetic, it is important to monitor your blood glucose after you drink and take steps to correct excessively low or high levels.
