Alcohol and Diabetes: An Unhealthy Mix

Diabetes requires vigilance in regard to diet and exercise. So naturally, one might wonder if some indulgences require cutting back on quantity or cutting out completely.

Alcoholic beverages, of course, fall into this gray area. Since every person is different, the answer depends on how well the disease is managed, their overall quality of health, and doctors’ recommendations in relation to where one might be in managing glucose levels.

Alcohol affecting liver’s function

In determining whether or not alcohol is safe to consume, one needs to look at its effect on the liver’s function. First of all, the liver maintains an emergency supply of glucose in case the body is running low on fuel. If the glucose is dropping to a low level, the liver releases just enough to keep the body going. So how exactly does alcohol affect this refueling process?

When a person consumes alcohol, it impedes the liver’s production of glucose. Therefore, the amount of glucose in the blood decreases, and this can be hazardous because the liver cannot produce a sufficient amount to compensate for the loss. Consequently, if the glucose level drops too low, a person can fall into insulin shock and die.

Empty calories and other factors

To better understand alcohol’s impact on the body and its glucose levels, one would need to be aware of the other factors associated with its consumption.

• High quantity of calories
• Increased appetite
• High level of simple carbohydrates
• Effect on triglyceride levels
• Impairment of judgement
• Risk of nausea and vomiting
• Increase in blood pressure

One important trait of alcohol is its high calorie content. For instance, 1.5 ounces of whiskey or liquor might contain between 84 to 183 calories. Most wines fall into the 100-calorie range per 5 ounces. Some “light” beers also contain as much as 137 calories per 12-ounce serving. But, these “empty” calories build up over time. Additionally, one has to contend with the lack of energy that often accompanies alcohol consumption—both in the short and long term, which can get in the way of physical activity. Therefore, the regular consumption would pose a severe obstacle toward weight loss or maintenance, which is vital to keeping diabetes under control.

Also, alcohol tends to increase one’s appetite. Since the body cannot store alcohol, it’s natural defense mechanisms causes the body to burn the alcohol for energy instead of whatever was just eaten to keep it from reaching toxic levels. The storage of carbohydrates are then used to metabolize the alcohol, which causes the drop in glucose and leads the individual to want more food. Likewise, because of its diuretic properties, a person will, in turn, crave more salty carbs. This presents a Catch-22 situation because drinking alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach is not good for anyone, let alone a person who’s diabetic, and junk food, like chips or crackers, tends to be an individual’s first choice at a social gathering. Again, this cycle greatly impedes efforts towards weight loss, and the yo-yo effect on carb-intake can be harmful to a diabetic.