People with diabetes should adhere to a healthy lifestyle and follow a certain diet. However, many are wondering if alcohol can be used for diabetes.
Holidays are not complete without alcohol, and a person suffering from diabetes does not know how to behave at the table.
Many people wonder if it is possible to drink alcohol for diabetes (type 2 or type 1). This article will describe the basic rules for alcohol consumption by diabetics.
The effects of alcohol on diabetics
Are alcohol and diabetes compatible? Getting into the body of a diabetic, alcohol has a specific effect. The drink contributes to disruption of glucose production in the liver tissues. It shrinks and exposure to insulin increases.
When drinking alcohol, it is rapidly absorbed into the blood. The drink is processed by the liver, so if a person takes insulin or tablets in order to stimulate the production of insulin, drinking alcohol can cause a sharp decrease in blood sugar, as liver function is impaired. Alcohol in diabetes can cause hypoglycemia. Also, huge damage is caused to the state of the cardiovascular system. Death may occur.
Diabetes and alcohol compatibility
As to whether alcohol and diabetes are combined, there is a double opinion.
The vast majority of doctors are firmly convinced that:
- When drinking alcohol there is a significant decrease in blood sugar, which can trigger the development of hypoglycemia.
- A drunk patient may fall asleep and not notice the first symptoms of hypoglycemia.
- Alcohol provokes confusion, which causes hasty decisions, including when taking medications.
- If a person with diabetes has problems with the kidneys and liver, then the use of such drinks can cause an exacerbation of diseases of these organs.
- Alcohol has a devastating effect on the heart and blood vessels.
- Alcohol can increase appetite, which can cause excessive food intake and, as a result, an increase in blood sugar.
- Alcohol helps increase blood pressure.
The second opinion is that with diabetes you can drink alcohol, only in very moderate quantities.
There are a number of basic rules to avoid its harmful effects on the body.
A person with diabetes is advised:
- do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach;
- drink only strong drinks or dry red wine;
- keep a check on your blood sugar.
This opinion is shared by patients who do not comply with the strict prescriptions of the doctor and do not want to change the usual lifestyle that they led until they discovered diabetes mellitus.
The main types of diabetes
Diabetes is provoked by genetic abnormalities, and can also be caused by a viral damage to the body or be the result of a malfunction of the immune system.
Often, the disease is the result of malnutrition, hormonal imbalance, pancreatic pathology, as well as treatment with certain drugs.
Specialists distinguish the following types of diabetes:
- insulin independent;
- insulin dependent.
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes (type 2)
How is insulin-dependent diabetes (type 2) manifested? It is characterized by slow development. This condition is accompanied by the presence of itching in the genital area. With this pathology, skin manifestations of a fungal or bacterial nature develop.
Insulin-dependent form of diabetes (type 1)
It is inherent in young patients and is characterized by rapid development. This type of disease provokes a constant feeling of thirst. In a diabetic, weight decreases sharply, the volume of urine excreted increases, muscle weakness appears. If the patient does not receive proper treatment, he may develop ketoacidosis with a lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
Common symptoms
For both types of disease, complications such as:
- disturbances in the work of the heart;
- atherosclerosis of blood vessels;
- tendency to inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system;
- damage to the nervous system;
- various skin pathologies;
- obesity of the liver;
- weakening of the immune system;
- joint degeneration;
- brittle teeth.
Often, a sharp change in blood sugar is inherent in symptoms that are similar to intoxication. The patient begins to stagger, becomes drowsy, weakens and disorientates. Persons suffering from diabetes are advised to carry a doctor’s opinion with an exact indication of the existing pathology.
Safety precautions
Alcohol with diabetes provokes a decrease in the production of glucose by the liver, which is dangerous for sick people who drink alcohol on an empty stomach or after sports training.
If the diabetic drinks alcohol too often, he has jumps in blood pressure, the threshold for hypoglycemia increases, numbness of the extremities and signs of neuropathy appear.
Such a reaction to alcohol is not uncommon. If you take alcohol in limited quantities and constantly monitor the level of insulin, then the likelihood of side effects is minimized.
If a diabetic prefers strong drinks, then no more than 75 ml is recommended per day. Although strong alcohol is better to replace with dry red wine, which should be consumed no more than 200 g per day.
If a person has diabetes, can I take alcohol daily? Limiting the amount does not indicate that you can drink alcohol every day. Optimal will be the minimum intake, not more than twice a week.
Basic rules for drinking alcohol with diabetes
What should a diabetic drinker know? Can I drink any alcohol for diabetes? There are several types of alcoholic beverages, which, in the presence of the disease, are strictly prohibited.
This list includes:
- liquor;
- champagne;
- beer;
- sweet dessert wine;
- soda containing a low concentration of alcohol.
In addition, you should not drink alcohol:
- on empty stomach;
- more than once a week;
- in parallel with a means of lowering the temperature;
- during or after sports.
It is not recommended to have a snack with salted or fatty foods.
The golden rule should be the constant monitoring of blood sugar. Check it before drinking alcohol. If it is lowered, then do not drink. If there is such a need, then you should take a drug that increases sugar levels.
If alcohol was drunk in larger quantities than expected, then you should check the sugar before bedtime. Usually in this case it is lowered. Doctors advise eating something to lift it.
Many people wonder if diabetes can be mixed with other drinks. In this case, it is recommended to select a low-calorie combination. It is recommended to refuse sweetened drinks, juices and syrups.
In case of doubt about your future well-being, inform the person who will be nearby about a possible reaction from the body. In this case, you will be able to provide timely assistance. It is very important.
Can i drink vodka?
Can a diabetic drink vodka? To answer this question, you should pay attention to the composition of the drink. It contains alcohol diluted with water. It does not contain any impurities and additives. However, this is an ideal recipe for vodka, which not all manufacturers adhere to. Modern products contain various chemical impurities that have a negative effect on the human body.
Vodka helps reduce glucose levels, which can trigger hypoglycemia. A drink in combination with insulin preparations interferes with the production of the right amount of cleaning hormones to help the liver absorb alcohol.
But in some cases, vodka helps stabilize the state of the diabetic. It is possible to use vodka for patients with type 2 diabetes. Alcohol in this case is able to optimize the condition if the sugar index becomes higher than the permissible norm. At the same time, it is recommended to consume no more than 100 g of drink per day, biting vodka with medium-calorie food.
The drink promotes the activation of digestion and the breakdown of sugar, but at the same time disrupts the metabolic processes in the body. In this case, it will be better to consult with your doctor.
Drinking wine
Many scientists believe that drinking dry red wine is not able to harm the body. However, for a diabetic, drinking alcohol is always fraught with complications.
Dry red wine contains substances useful for the body - polyphenols. They are able to control blood glucose levels. When taking this alcohol, a diabetic should pay attention to the percentage of sugar in the drink. The most optimal indicator is not more than 5%. Therefore, doctors recommend dry red wine, although they note that it is also not worth it to abuse.
Can I drink alcohol with diabetes in unlimited quantities? At one time, it is recommended that you use no more than 200 g, and for daily use, 30-50 g will be sufficient
Beer drinking
Many people, especially men, prefer beer to alcohol. It is considered a high-calorie product that contains a large amount of carbohydrates. Therefore, it is not recommended for people with diabetes.
Beer is also alcohol. With type 2 diabetes in the amount of one glass, it is unlikely to bring harm. But in insulin-dependent patients, a drink can cause a glycemic attack. Therefore, alcohol in type 1 diabetes and insulin is a dangerous combination. Often a coma that provokes a fatal outcome is provoked.
Many diabetics mistakenly believe that beer does not harm their health. This view is based on the fact that yeast has a positive effect. Often this product is used for preventive purposes. When a diabetic consumes brewer's yeast, he restores a healthy metabolism, optimizes liver function and blood formation. But this effect causes the use of yeast, not beer.
Contraindications
There are certain conditions of the body in which alcohol and diabetes are not compatible in any way:
- Increased tendency to hypoglycemia.
- The presence of gout.
- Reduced kidney functionality in conjunction with a pathology such as nephropathy of a diabetic nature.
- Elevated triglycerides when taking alcohol, which causes a failure in fat metabolism.
- Excessive alcohol consumption in chronic pancreatitis can trigger type 2 diabetes.
- The presence of hepatitis or cirrhosis in a diabetic, which is quite common.
- Reception "Metformina". Usually this drug is prescribed for a type 2 disease. The combination of alcohol with this medicine provokes the development of lactic acidosis.
- The presence of diabetic neuropathy. Ethyl alcohol provokes damage to the peripheral nerves.
Eating should be carried out three to five times evenly and should include various types of foods.
Of particular danger is the development of late hypoglycemia, when a pathological picture occurs several hours after drinking alcohol. It is very difficult to stop such an attack due to a sharp decrease in glycogen in the liver. Moreover, this condition can occur after episodic drinking on an empty stomach.
Dose limitation
If a person has diabetes, drinking alcohol should be limited.
The recommended dose of alcohol in the presence of diabetes mellitus:
- beer - 355 ml;
- wine - 148 ml;
- strong drinks (gin, whiskey, port, rum, etc.) - 50 ml.
Conclusion
Alcohol and diabetes, according to many doctors, are not combined. Drinking alcohol can cause a sharp drop in blood sugar. Doctors strongly recommend that you refrain from drinking alcohol. But if this rule is not always observed, then one should adhere to clear recommendations regarding the rules for drinking drinks by persons suffering from impaired glucose production function.