That will prepare them to identify hypoglycemia in case it occurs, even if you can’t. If you choose to drink alcohol, you can take some steps to minimize the risk of potentially serious problems with type 2 can diabetics get drunk diabetes. Your doctor is your best resource for helping you create a plan to drink as safely as possible. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have hypertension (high blood pressure) as those without.
Talk to Your Doctor
Talk to your doctor about your drinking habits and they can provide you with tips and tricks for how drink in a way that works for you. Liquid sugars are quickly absorbed by the body, so those carbs won’t be much help in preventing or treating a low that may occur hours after you drink. Food, on the other hand, is digested gradually, so it provides better protection against lows. Because many of the symptoms of hypoglycemia—such as slurred speech, drowsiness, confusion, or difficulty walking—are also symptoms of being drunk, it can be difficult to tell the two apart. And if you often have hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which you don’t recognize you’re going low, drinking becomes especially dicey. Timing may also be an issue, as hypoglycemia can strike hours after your last drink, especially if you’ve been exercising.
Follow Diabetes UK
- Nearly 1 in every 10 Americans develops diabetes, most of which is type 2 diabetes.
- Heavy alcohol consumption may increase a person’s risk for developing this disease.
- Ketoacidosis, which occurs primarily in diabetics, is a condition characterized by excessive levels of certain acids called ketone bodies (e.g., acetone, acetoacetate, and β-hydroxybutyrate) in the blood.
- The best types of alcohol for people with diabetes are those with a low sugar or carb content.
Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She’s worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. Furthermore, if you have been drinking heavily, there may be a risk of hypos for up to 16 hours (or even more) after you have stopped drinking.
- He was started on empagliflozin, which, interestingly, made his urine test become falsely positive.
- Most people with diabetes can drink alcohol, including wine, as long as they do not have another medical condition that makes drinking alcohol unsafe.
- Many impotent diabetic men also have lower than normal levels of the sex hormone testosterone in their blood.
Does Alcohol Increase Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?
Consequently, the patient essentially experiences total insulin lack. Because insulin is a key metabolic hormone, insulin deficiency leads to major impairment of the body’s regulation of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-tips-of-how-to-maintain-recovery-motivation/ metabolism. Unlike protein, fat, or carbohydrate, alcohol doesn’t require insulin to provide energy to the body. The exception is sweet dessert wines, which pack 14 grams of carb in a tiny three-and-a-half-ounce glass.
His bottom line is that it’s better to permit some hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) while drinking, to avoid dangerous lows. Some diabetes medicines may have negative interactions with alcohol. For example, if you’re taking metformin, a drug commonly used for type 2 diabetes, you might experience weakness, fatigue, a slowed heart rate, dark urine, and more. These are all symptoms of a dangerous condition called lactic acidosis.
