Sometimes, even honey and fruit juices can have high levels of refined sugar. It is important to always check the food label for the nutritional content, including sugar levels. If you have diabetes and drink alcohol, it is important to never drink on an empty stomach. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can cause your blood sugar levels to drop quickly, which can lead to hypoglycemia. Alcohol has a direct effect on blood sugar levels and can make it more difficult to control diabetes. This is because alcohol contains calories, which the liver converts into glucose.

Alcohol can be dangerous to those with diabetes, especially when heavy drinking or binge drinking occurs. Most people with diabetes use medicine to lower their blood sugar levels. The drop in blood sugar that ultimately occurs when drinking heavily can cause dangerously low blood sugar levels that can lead to a coma or even death.

Hangover Cures That Work [Plus Deets on Hangover-Free Alcohol]

Aside from avoiding alcohol, there are some home remedies that you can do to help lower your blood sugar levels. This includes what not to eat, what you can do, and what you can eat. Alcohol affects the way kidneys regulate fluid and electrolytes https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-ways-to-destress-after-work/ in the body. They are less likely to do their job to filter the blood and remove toxins when you drink alcohol. Also, alcohol dries out the body, which can lead to dehydration that results in cells and organs not working properly.

They should also remember that some diabetes medications may not work if they consume too much alcohol. For many people, the occasional glass of alcohol does not pose a problem. However, for people with diabetes, alcohol consumption can affect blood sugar levels. With all of this in mind, the risks of drinking alcohol when you have type 2 diabetes may outweigh any benefits.

Ways Life Gets Better After You Stop Drinking

Drinking alcohol can cause these blood vessels to leak or swell, further damaging your vision. If you are suffering from this diabetic eye disease, it is best diabetes and alcohol to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. As a common complication of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness.

That effect has been observed in both type 1 and type 2 diabetics as well as in nondiabetics (Arky and Freinkel 1964). Hypoglycemia can have serious, even life-threatening, consequences, because adequate blood sugar levels are needed to ensure brain functioning. The two most common forms of diabetes are type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with type 2 diabetes accounting for at least 90 percent of all cases. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease—that is, a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys not only foreign molecules or organisms but also some of the body’s own cells. In most patients, the disease develops before age 40, primarily during childhood or adolescence.

Weight Gain

For about four hours after you eat, glucose circulates in your bloodstream (where cells have access to it) before being stored in the liver for future use. In order for cells to be able to take up glucose, they need something that can help them transport the glucose out of the blood. Alcohol can interfere with boundaries and normal critical thinking skills. A tipsy diabetic may inadvertently mix up medications or dosages, forget essential medications, or fail to take them correctly. While it is generally safe to drink alcohol, it is a good idea to have someone around when drinking. Diabetes is a group of conditions leading to high blood sugar levels.