One of the most frequently asked questions from people with diabetes besides “what should I eat?” is “is it okay to drink alcohol when a person has diabetes?” My response is always the same. Recommendations regarding alcohol consumption for people with diabetes are the same as those for the general population.
So, what are the recommendations for drinking alcohol in moderation?
According to Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, even a small amount of alcohol can be damaging. Research shows that no amount or kind of alcohol is good for your health. It doesn’t matter what kind of alcohol it is—wine, beer, cider or spirits. The more alcohol you drink per week, the more the risks.
What are the health risks of drinking alcohol?
The risk to your health from drinking alcohol will depend on the amount you drink:
- 7 or more standard drinks per week – Your risk of heart disease or stroke increases. Each additional standard drink increases the risk of these.
- 3 to 6 standard drinks per week – Your risk of developing several different types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases.
- 1 to 2 standard drinks per week – You will likely avoid alcohol-related consequences for yourself and others.
What is considered a standard drink?
A standard drink in Canada is defined as:
- 12 oz of beer, cider, or cooler with 5% alcohol content OR
- 5 oz wine with 12 % alcohol content OR
- 5 oz distilled liquor with 40% alcohol content (rum, gin, spirits)
Should alcohol be avoided completely?
The recommendation is that people consider reducing their alcohol use. Each person will have different comfort levels with different levels of risk. The reason why some people may want to reduce alcohol use is that according to research:
- 1–2 drinks a week represents a low risk of harms,
- 3–6 drinks a week represents a moderate risk of harms and
- 7 or more drinks a week represents an increasingly high risk of harms.
For people who drink more, any reduction in alcohol use is beneficial. In fact, people who consume high levels of alcohol have even more to gain by reducing their consumption by as much as they are able.
Are there any recommendations that are specific for people with diabetes?
If a person with diabetes chooses to drink alcohol, there are a few precautions or guidelines that should be followed to prevent spikes or drops in blood sugar levels. People with diabetes are often quite surprised to learn that alcohol can actually cause blood glucose to drop. This happens in people who are taking certain diabetes medications such as insulin or sulfonylureas. While the liver is busy processing alcohol, it takes a break from its other role of releasing stored glucose as needed, making the medications more powerful in lowering blood glucose. The drop in blood glucose (or hypoglycemia), can occur shortly after drinking and up to many hours after drinking. In some people with type 1 diabetes, hypoglycemia can occur up to 24 hours later! Checking blood glucose levels before drinking, before going to bed, and upon waking the next morning will help a person to learn how the alcohol affects them.
The symptoms of drinking too much alcohol and those of hypoglycemia can be very similar making it difficult for others to identify whether the person with diabetes is experiencing drunkenness or a low blood glucose reaction. This confusion can result in the person with diabetes not receiving appropriate assistance and treatment. Depending on how much alcohol is consumed, the person with diabetes may have impaired judgment, making it difficult to treat their low blood glucose or rendering them unable ask for the proper assistance.
Here are some tips for safe alcohol consumption for a person with diabetes and how supporters can help them to avoid spikes and drops:
- To make it easier to stick to the moderate amount of alcohol, alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks such as sparkling water or diet pop.
- Eat foods with carbohydrate while drinking. If dancing, playing sports or doing other physical activity, consume extra foods with carbohydrate to avoid a low blood sugar.
- Mix alcoholic drinks with water or diet pop instead of sugar-laden pop, juice or other sweet mixers.
- Wear diabetes identification such as a MedicAlert® bracelet.
- Others should know the person’s signs and symptoms of low blood glucose, and know how to treat it.
- Always have a treatment for low blood glucose available, such as ¾ cup regular pop or 3 glucose tablets.
- If blood glucose is lower than usual before going to bed, a carbohydrate snack should be taken.
Discover more healthy eating ideas and tips in the diabetes diet section and search out some tasty recipes here.
