ALCOHOL
Many people enjoy drinking alcohol and there is no need to give up alcohol because you have diabetes. Whether you have diabetes or not, government guidelines recommend a limit of 2–3 units per day for women and 3–4 units per day for men.
What is a unit?
A pint of higher-strength lager can contain as much as 3 units and a medium glass of wine (175ml) around 2 units. One unit is about:
- ½ pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider (3.6% ABV)
- 1 pub measure (50 ml) of sherry or vermouth
- 1 pub measure of spirit (25 ml), eg gin, vodka or whisky (40% ABV approximately)
To work out accurately the number of units in your drink, the following equation can be applied:
(Note: ABV = alcohol by volume)
ABV x volume = number of units
1000
Hypoglycaemia
Drinking alcohol makes hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) more likely to occur, especially if your diabetes is treated with insulin or certain tablets.
- To reduce the chance of a hypo, it is important not to drink alcohol on an empty stomach. A hypo can be confused with drunkenness when there is the smell of alcohol on your breath. So, it is important to tell people you are with that you have diabetes and what help you might need if you have a hypo. Also, make sure you carry some ID to let others know you have diabetes, such as an ID card, medical necklace or bracelet.
- If you drink more than a few units during an evening, you will have an increased risk of hypos all night and into the next day too, as your liver continues to get rid of alcohol. Always snack on a starchy snack, such as cereal or tost, before bed to minimise this risk.
Tips to reduce the risk of a hypo
- Never drink on an empty stomach: alcohol will be absorbed too quickly into your bloodstream.
- When you are drinking, throughout the evening, snack on something starchy like crisps.
- Do not substitute alcoholic drinks for meals – this may lead to a hypo
- Always make sure you eat some carbohydrate before going to bed after drinking. Severe hypoglycaemia can occur with larger quantities of alcohol, particularly if you are treated with insulin and if too little carbohydrate is eaten
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