Fri, 01/22/2010 - 03:14 | by admin

Why is it dangerous to be drunk with Type 1 diabetes?

diabetes and dangers of alcohol

When you have diabetes you must be able to think clearly in many situations, so you can take the correct amount of insulin at the right time and be aware of feeling unwell if your insulin levels are low or you are becoming hypoglycaemic. You cannot do this if you have had too much to drink, in exactly the same way as you cannot drive a car safely after taking more than a small amount of alcohol. Severe hypoglycaemia after drinking alcohol has caused the death of young people with diabetes on rare occasions. Scientific studies show the role of alcohol in causing hypoglycaemia has more to do with losing the ability to recognize the signs of impending hypoglycaemia than with reducing the liver's ability to produce glucose.

In one study, people with diabetes drank either white wine (approximately 600 ml, three average- sized glasses) or water 2-3 hours after the evening snack. The morning blood glucose was 3-4 mmol/l (55-70 mg/dl) lower after drinking wine and five of the six individuals experienced symptomatic hypoglycaemia 2-4 hours after breakfast (at this time no alcohol was detectable in the blood). Another study found twice the risk of hypoglycaemia over a 24 hour period after drinking approximately the same amounts of alcohol. This suggests it is advisable to be prepared for late-morning hypoglycaemia after an evening spent drinking, and it is advisable to lower the insulin dose both at bedtime and before breakfast.

This content is based on Dr Ragnar Hanas' helpful book, Type 1 Diabetes in children, adolescents and young adults. Click here to order copies of Dr Hanas' book online.