Effects of alcohol are always individual. When it comes to diabetes, it is not possible to set a general limit for safe alcohol use.
In addition to diabetes and its treatment, the way your body reacts to alcohol and the stage at which alcohol use may cause health issues depends on factors such as your gender, weight and age.
In medicine, alcohol abuse is seen as a continuum from risk use to excessive use and alcohol addiction.
Risk use of alcohol involves repeatedly consuming copious amounts of alcohol or drinking to get drunk but health hazards have not yet appeared. Early symptoms for health hazards may include stomach issues or trouble sleeping.
Excessive use of alcohol entails physical, psychological and social health hazards.
The symptoms of alcohol addiction or alcoholism include increased tolerance, finding it hard to stop or limit your drinking, continuing to drink despite harmful side effects, compulsive drinking as well as withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut down or quit.
In diabetes drinking to get drunk is always a risk. A person with diabetes must be able to take care of themselves and their care. Forgetting or neglecting diabetes care in connection with alcohol use is a health risk.
Who?
Low risk level
Moderate risk level
High risk level
Healthy, working-age women
0–1 servings per day
7 servings per day
In a week 12–16 servings or more
Healthy, working-age men
0–2 servings per day
14 servings per week
In a week 23–24 servings or more
During pregnancy
No servings
No servings
No servings
Persons, with identified alcohol-related health problems or an addiction
No servings
No servings
No servings
Over 65 years
No more than 0–2 per day or 7 servings in a week
No more than 0–2 servings per day or 7 servings in a week
No more than 0–2 servings per day or 7 servings in a week
Ageing reduces alcohol tolerance. Your body composition changes: the level of fat in your system increases, the water content is reduced and the intoxicating effect of alcohol is stronger than when you were younger. The functional ability of your brains, liver and kidneys diminishes as you get older. If an elderly person has several medical conditions or medications, they should consider abstaining from alcohol even more carefully.
AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) is a test developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to analyse alcohol use and the risks related to it. It enables you to assess your own alcohol use and makes it easier to start a conversation about it.
