The Truth About Drinking and Diabetes

What you need to know before you quench your thirst

drink and spoons with sugar

Quick question: Which of the following drinks is the best choice if you have diabetes?

  1. Margarita

  2. Daiquiri

  3. Rum and Cola

  4. Light Beer

If you answered #4, you already know something about drinking and diabetes.

If you have diabetes, you may know that you should manage drinking alcohol just as you manage what you eat. Drinking isn’t completely off-limits if you have diabetes, but you do need to be aware about how alcohol can affect your blood sugar (glucose) level.

“People with diabetes can include alcohol in their diet in a responsible way,” advises Joslin Diabetes Center spokesperson Elizabeth Staum. Most diabetes educators say that means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two for men. If you have diabetes, talk with your doctor or diabetes educator about whether drinking alcohol is safe for you and how it might affect your diabetes medicine.

Alcohol and blood sugar
Alcohol consumption can force blood sugar to go too low (hypoglycemia) or too high (hyperglycemia). How it affects you depends on the specific drink, how much you eat, and the medicines you take for diabetes. Alcohol can cause symptoms similar to those of low blood sugar, such as dizziness, sleepiness, and disorientation. It can be difficult to tell if these symptoms are from alcohol or if you’re experiencing low blood sugar and can delay the effects of your diabetes medications.

Added sugar
Alcohol contains sugar, and many alcoholic drinks are quite high in sugar. Of course, this can trigger high blood sugar levels if you’re managing diabetes. Not only that, many drinks are high in calories, which can affect your weight. Avoid sweet wines, liqueurs, craft beers, and sweetened mixed drinks, such as margaritas, daiquiris, and mojitos.

Beyond diabetes
As enjoyable as a glass of wine may be, alcohol can cause these negative health effects:

  • high cholesterol and triglycerides

  • liver damage

  • weight gain due to extra calories

  • negative interactions with medications

  • impaired judgment both with diet and in general

Take these steps to drink safely:

  • Have alcohol with a snack or meal, not on an empty stomach

  • Check your blood glucose before and after a drink to make sure your blood sugar level is in your target range

  • Wear medical identification if you’re taking diabetes medications so that if you appear intoxicated to others, they will know that you could be experiencing hypoglycemia

  • Don’t drive if you’ve been drinking

ContentNOW: Diabetes (Newly Diagnosed)