The effect of alcohol on blood sugar depends on the quantity and quality of it as well as its relation to eating.
Moderate amount of alcohol (2–3 units) consumed with a meal have no significant effect on blood sugar.
Self-monitoring blood sugar or using glucose sensor enables you to identify the effect different alcoholic beverages, moving around and eating have on your blood sugar, even when you are out partying.
If you have diabetes and use alcohol, to avoid increase in the blood sugar, you should consider low-alcohol and low-sugar options, such as beer, dry or semi-dry cider or mild wine. Sweet wines and liqueurs with a high sugar content may significantly increase your blood sugar level.
Forgetting to take insulin when using alcohol may also result in an increase in blood sugar. If you forgot to inject basal insulin and you have an insulin-dependent diabetes, there is a risk of ketoacidosis.
Alcohol inhibits the liver’s ability to release glucose into the blood. That is why using alcohol without eating at the same time may lead to too low blood sugar levels, if you use insulin or other diabetes medication.
When a person is under the influence of alcohol, the ability to recover from low blood sugar or shock is reduced and hypoglycaemia can continue for a long time, because the liver is not able to release glucose. Glucagon, that is normally used to correct low blood sugar in an emergency, does not correct the blood sugar because its function is based on the release of sugar from the liver. The risk of excessive drop in blood sugar increases already in a mild state of intoxication. Deaths resulting from shock are rare but, when they occur, alcohol consumption is often involved.
Mealtime insulin is not calculated for the carbohydrates contained in alcohol.
Remember to eat if you consume alcohol.
If you don’t eat, remember to have a sugary drink once in a while.
If you are out and about, you will need more carbohydrates.
Check your blood sugar when you are partying and especially before going to bed.
Have a little extra evening snack without taking rapid-insulin.
Remember your evening basal insulin (if you use evening injections).
If necessary, reduce your evening basal insulin dose by 20%, especially if you have been moving a lot.
If need be, take less rapid-insulin at breakfast.
Keep your diabetes ID or “Minulla on diabetes” (I have diabetes) card on your person.
Tell your friends about your diabetes and let them know what to do if your blood sugar gets too low.
Updated 30.9.2023
