Have you heard that diabetes and alcohol don't mix?
Or maybe read that alcohol is actually good for diabetics?
So... what s the truth?
We're going to find out exactly what current scientific research says about diabetes and
alcohol, so that you can know when it 's ok to grab a few drinks with friends, and when
it's best for you to avoid the bar.
Are the supposed health benefits of wine a real thing?
Will carb-heavy beer spike your blood sugar?
What does alcohol really do to your liver, your pancreas, and your brain?
Do you know how many units you drink per day, and how much is considered too much?
We'll tell you what the answers to these questions mean for your body, and your blood sugar balance.
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Alright, are you ready for another round... of diabetes-fighting info?
Let's answer the burning question...
CAN DIABETICS DRINK ALCOHOL?
Well... while the answer to this question depends largely on the health of your liver,
let s make something very clear here, right off the bat.
Alcoholic beverages, in general, are not natural for your body to digest.
Yes, chemicals found in certain alcoholic drinks can indeed improve your health and
we'll let you know more about that shortly.
But, no matter your drink of choice, know this: to gain health benefits from your drink,
you must stick to MODEST portions.
After all, drinking a single glass of wine, now and again, may aid your heart health...
but drinking multiple glasses of wine, multiple days per week?
Yeah, that's NOT going to help.
And, in fact, it can do plenty of long-term damage to your body.
So, let's start with the most fundamental question about consuming alcohol...
How Much Is Too Much?
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism tells us to limit our intake to
2 or 1 units a day.
One unit of alcohol (about 7 grams of pure alcohol) is equal to:
- 25 milliliters, or 0.85 fluid ounces of 40% spirits
- 90 milliliters, or 3 fluid ounces of 12% wine
- 180 milliliters, or 6 fluid ounces of 5% beer or cider, or lager, or...
- 240 milliliters, or 8 fluid ounces of 3.5% beer, cider, or lager
Does this surprise you?
It should - because the standard can size for many packaged alcoholic beverages is
12 ounces.
That means drinking two or more beers in a sitting may put you over the line for the
recommended daily limit of alcohol.
While the human body breaks down alcohol in different ways, our bodies often utilize specific
enzymes to convert alcohol into acetaldehyde.
Acetaldehyde is a known carcinogen and is extremely toxic.
When we drink small amounts of alcohol, acetaldehyde is quickly broken down in the liver.
But over-doing your portion of alcohol can mean that acetaldehyde stays in your system
for longer.
Meanwhile, the enzyme cytochrome P450 2E1, or CYP2E1, collects in the liver and also
works to break down alcohol.
CYP2E1 is more active in diabetics than non-diabetics, which might help explain why liver disease
and diabetes are so strongly linked.
But this enzyme also breaks down acetaldehyde in other tissues, like the pancreas and even
the brain.
During alcohol metabolism, the liver, pancreas, and brain cells utilize extra oxygen.
But that means that the more you drink, the less oxygen there will be for other cell functions,
and this can result in tissue damage.
That's a main reason why the liver is typically the most damaged organ from alcohol abuse.
But, clearly, excess alcohol consumption can causes harm throughout the human body.
And, unfortunately, there s more bad news.
If you are currently managing diabetes, there's a good chance that your liver is already damaged.
The Journal of Hepatology reported that 55.5 percent of people with type 2 diabetes have
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
So giving the liver extra work by drinking too much alcohol can be especially damaging
for those already suffering from diabetes.
That's not the only reason diabetics should stick to official guidelines.
Or give up alcohol altogether.
Meanwhile, drinking in excess can also severely damage the insulin-producing pancreas.
A pancreas damaged by alcohol will produce less insulin, and when coupled with chronic
insulin resistance, that smaller quantity will have even less of an effect.
So remember: Do your best to stick to... - 2 or less units per day, if you are male,
and... - 1 or less units per day, if you are female.
So now you can see that even just an extra drink or two may add up to some serious health
issues.
But...
What's The HUGE Reason Why Diabetics Should Avoid Alcohol?
The answer, of course, is...
SUGAR.
Beer is notoriously high in liquid carb content.
In fact, many brands of beer can contain up to 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Some porters and stouts may even hold 20 grams of carbs per pint.
And, as liquid sugar contains no digestion-slowing fiber, drinking carb-heavy alcoholic beverages,
especially on an empty stomach, can cause glucose levels to spike.
At the same time, certain drinks can create the opposite reaction, and may actually cause
your blood sugar to sink too low.
As alcohol gets processed and metabolized in the liver, where diabetic medications are
also processed, drinking while taking these medications can put significant strain on
your liver, and it may lead to a dangerous drop in glucose levels.
That's why it is especially important for type 1 and type 2 diabetics currently taking
prescription meds to be extremely mindful of their alcohol consumption.
So now you might be swearing off binge drinking for good.
But can drinking the occasional small portion of your favorite alcoholic beverage also cause
damage when you re diabetic, or might it actually supply some diabetes-fighting benefits?
We'll break down all the latest research in just a sec...
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OK, so it's time to reveal the answer to the burning question...
What Are The Health Benefits of Alcohol?
In fact, there are!
But, by now, you've probably heard the simple truth: It s red wine, specifically, which
may help your health... in moderation, of course.
Red wine contains an abundance of antioxidant polyphenols, including CATECHINS, EPICATECHINS,
and RESVERATROL, which have been shown to protect the linings of blood vessels.
They also work to halt the growth of certain types of cancer, aid skin health, lower stress
levels, increase levels of probiotic gut bacteria, decrease LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk
of heart disease in general.
Meanwhile, red wine contains trace amounts of the blood pressure-lowering minerals IRON
and CALCIUM.
In fact, a recent trial showed that red wine extract helped improve both systolic and diastolic
blood pressure in hypertensive participants.
A separate study revealed that moderate red wine intake may reduce the risk of developing
type 2 diabetes for both men and women.
And other studies have even found that a small amount of red wine may work to reduce post-meal
glucose levels while improving insulin sensitivity.
But, naturally, all research also indicates that these health benefits will only be gained
if you limit your intake of red wine.
Research has indicated that men who drink heavily, even those who only drink three or
less days per week, have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Plus, as the polyphenols within red wine are naturally found in red grapes, you can acquire
many of the same health benefits by simply eating grapes or other dark-skinned fruits
and vegetables.
So, when all is said and done, can diabetics safely drink alcohol in moderation?
According to multiple recent research studies...
- You can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30% by switching from higher
to moderate alcoholic consumption.
- Binge drinkers have a higher risk of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, compared to non-binge
drinkers.
- Diabetics are 50% more likely to suffer from mild to severe non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease than non-diabetics.
- And alternatively, having fatty liver disease raises the risk of becoming diabetic.
So to protect your liver, the best advice is to NOT drink alcohol.
But if you do, it is best to avoid carb-heavy beers and sugar-rich white wines and spirits.
Stick with antioxidant-rich red wine, and keep your servings well within official guidelines.
Also, be sure to enjoy your drink with a glucose-stabilizing snack food, or with your nutrition-rich meal.
Well, we hope we've cleared up some of the mysteries of alcohol and diabetes.
A glass of red wine a day may keep diabetes at bay...
but overdoing your consumption of any alcoholic beverage can also lead to negative health.
What are your thoughts about alcohol and diabetes?
Do you have any insights or stories to share?
Let our community know by commenting below.
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We hope you have a healthy, happy, diabetes-fighting day!