[ronnni]

I've read about how you must be careful when drinking alcohol while on medication as it can cause you to have a hypo. Does alcohol also lower your blood glucose if you are not on medication?

Just wondering if it's the alcohol itself that has a lowering effect, or the combination of alcohol and medication?

I've been very good with my diet and avoiding alcohol, however I decided I would not worry about it on New Years Eve. I drank vodka with diet ginger and while I had all good intentions of not eating too much rubbish, I ate white bread, pastries, and even a chocolate mousse desert. I didn't go to bed until 3:30am so it was quite a few hours after I had eaten, however my reading was only 6.5 (116) I expected it to be through the roof. Then at 8:30 am, it was 6.4 (114). Would this have been the effect of the vodka cancelling out the high carb foods?

I imagine if I was drinking champagne or wine it would have been much higher?

Edited to add. I'm not on any medication that would have affected my levels

[dalewaden]

Blood glucose levels can be influenced by alcohol consumption. Interestingly enough, though, different amounts of alcohol can have opposite effects on blood sugar. While moderate amounts of alcohol can create a rise in blood sugar, excessive alcohol consumption can cause blood sugar levels to drop to dangerously low levels. The two key hormones that are necessary in regulating blood glucose levels are insulin and glucagon. When blood sugar drops, the body reacts by producing more, and when blood sugar rises, the body releases insulin to maintain balance. Alcohol can affect the amount of blood sugar and the amount of insulin in the body, particularly when drunk in high amounts.

When you consume an alcoholic drink, the alcohol moves directly into the bloodstream without being metabolized in the stomach. It only takes five minutes for alcohol to become detectable in the bloodstream, where it then travels to the liver to be metabolized. For most people it takes about two hours for the liver to metabolize a single drink. If you continue to drink alcohol faster than your liver can metabolize it, the excess alcohol is carried by the bloodstream to the brain and other areas of the body. For those taking insulin this can lead to low blood sugar because the liver is busy removing alcohol from the bloodstream rather than regulating blood sugar levels. Alcohol can also cause hypoglycemia which can continue 24 hours after alcohol consumption. In response to acute alcohol consumption, the body increases insulin release, which results in less blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can mimic those of intoxication: dizziness, disorientation and sleepiness.

Although alcohol can affect blood sugar levels, the American Diabetes Association notes that moderate drinking affects blood glucose levels only slightly. Therefore, people with diabetes can adhere to the same set of rules as non-diabetics for alcohol consumption. Those guidelines include a maximum of one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.

[scottford]

I find that drinking lowers my sugar. It's a short term effect. Long term regular drinking can cause disregulation leading to inflammation, which can lead to a general rise in A1c. Diet soda and bread does even more damage, though.