Connection Between Alcohol & Diabetes

Chronic alcohol abuse can contribute to diabetes, and even moderate alcohol intake can worsen the disease. Drinking any amount of alcohol affects your blood sugar levels, which can led to bouts of low blood sugar. If you currently have diabetes, there are standards that you should meet before you consider having a drink. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned with the effect that drinking alcohol will have on your diabetes.

Alcohol and Diabetes

• A study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that alcohol can interfere with proper hormone levels in the body. In doing so, it impacts blood sugar levels, and can cause or worsen diabetes. The study found that 45 to 70 percent of alcoholics with liver disease were also glucose intolerant or diabetic.

Alcohol's Effect on a Diabetic

• Alcohol consumption can cause bouts of low blood sugar due to alcohol's relationship to the liver. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) points out that when the liver begins the detoxification process associated with alcohol, it does not secrete glucose into the blood stream at normal levels. This can lead to a dangerous drop in blood sugar.

Safe Drinking With Diabetes

• The American Diabetes Association states that it's okay for diabetics to have an occasional drink if three key factors are met. First, the disorder must be under control. Second, your doctor must give you permission. Third, you have to have an understanding of how alcohol can aggravate the condition. If you meet these criteria, they suggest a limit of two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.

Potential Dangers

• The ADA states that certain individuals with diabetes should not consume alcohol, as it can worsen some problems associated with the disease. It can exacerbate nerve damage, increase numbness in your limbs, worsen diabetic eye disease, and cause dangerous increases in blood pressure. If you are a diabetic and already experiencing these problems, refrain from drinking.

Talk to Your Doctor

• If you are concerned with the role that alcohol plays in worsening diabetes, or have the condition and are unsure about appropriate levels of consumption, talk to your doctor. He can help you navigate your alcohol intake to keep it from affecting your disease.