What Is the Effect of Alcohol on Diabetes?

Diabetes is a medical condition in which the person has extremely high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. This can be caused by his inability to produce insulin, as in type 1 diabetes, or his body's inadequate production or inefficient use of insulin, as in type 2 diabetes. A person who has diabetes must be very careful to control his blood sugar levels, through the use of insulin and careful eating and drinking habits. Alcohol, in particular, can be very dangerous for a diabetic.

Hypoglycemia

• In daily activity, the liver is responsible for adding glucose to the blood as needed, when the blood sugar begins to get low. Exercise and fasting are both common reasons for lowered blood sugar. Diabetics can also be prone to low blood sugar due to incorrect dosages of insulin. When alcohol enters the system, however, the liver becomes unable to add additional glucose, since it is filtering alcohol from the bloodstream. Unless the diabetic eats something, or takes a glucose tablet, her blood sugar can get extremely low.

Liver Function

• The liver is damaged by frequent and heavy drinking. This type of drinking can result in a condition in which working liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue. This scarring of the liver is called cirrhosis, and it interferes with the liver's necessary functions, particularly its part in regulating blood sugar levels.

Poor Control

• Alcohol's effects on the blood sugar can affect the ability of a diabetic to manage his diabetes effectively. Extreme blood sugar lows require intervention with glucose, which forces the blood sugar to extreme highs. Extreme high blood sugar levels require insulin, to bring the blood sugar to normal levels. These extremes can make it difficult for a diabetic to maintain a normal blood sugar level.

Weight Gain

• Alcohol can cause weight gain in diabetics, due to the fact that it adds empty calories to their diet. Diabetes is managed more easily in a person who is a healthy weight. When a diabetic drinks regularly, she may have trouble keeping the weight off, which will cause ongoing blood sugar problems.

Nerve Damage

• The American Diabetic Association recommends that any diabetic with nerve damage avoid consuming alcohol entirely. Alcohol, which the human body reacts to as a poison, is particularly dangerous for the nerves. Even infrequent drinking can increase all of the symptoms associated with nerve damage for a diabetic, including pain and numbness in the extremities.