February 20, 2024 | 03:17 pm PT
I’ve had diabetes for 3 years and should take remedy commonly. Can I’ve just a few glasses of alcohol throughout household gatherings? (Hong Dang, 35)
Reply:
Consuming alcoholic drinks, normally, just isn’t really useful for folks with diabetes.
Alcohol can have an effect on the effectiveness of diabetes medicines akin to insulin and oral hypoglycemic medicine, negatively impacting the illness administration plan and inflicting irregular will increase or decreases in blood sugar ranges, resulting in harmful problems.
Diabetic sufferers who devour alcohol over an extended interval, keep an unbalanced and uncontrolled food regimen, devour an excessive amount of vitality, and fail to take remedy as directed by a physician, could expertise elevated blood sugar ranges.
Conversely, diabetic sufferers who abuse alcohol however don’t devour an enough food regimen, particularly in instances of extended malnutrition, can expertise extreme hypoglycemia.
Two folks clinking glasses with alcohol. Illustration photograph by Freepik |
In some instances, alcohol can result in the buildup of extreme acid in our blood, which is named metabolic acidosis. This will probably be life-threatening for diabetic sufferers.
Consuming giant quantities of those drinks also can exacerbate problems associated to diabetes, akin to dyslipidemia, hypertension, nerve injury, and diabetic eye illness.
To remain wholesome, folks with diabetes ought to keep away from consuming alcoholic beverages. In instances the place alcohol consumption is unavoidable, it is necessary for folks with diabetes to carefully monitor their blood sugar stage earlier than and after consumption to make sure that it stays inside a protected vary. This may help stop any potential problems related to alcohol and diabetes.
It is usually advisable for folks with diabetes to seek the advice of their healthcare supplier for customized steering and suggestions on alcohol consumption.
Dr. Tran Dinh Manh Lengthy
Division of Endocrinology – Diabetes, Tam Anh Normal Hospital in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis