Many people think that “it's okay to drink less” and that for diabetics, alcohol may be silently destabilizing the blood and sugar balance。
Can diabetics drink? This issue has been asked too many times in clinics. Some feel that “sometimes there is nothing to lose”, and others hear that “red wine can drop sugar” and then drink。
But the reality is far more complex than expected. The effect of alcohol on blood sugar varies from person to person, leading to both low blood sugar and drug metabolism, and even to cover up low blood sugar symptoms, putting people at risk unconsciously。
A number of diabetics have been diagnosed clinically with dizziness, panic and cold sweat after having gathered to drink, mistook as “drinking” and, in fact, low blood sugar fever was masked by alcohol。
Because alcohol inhibits the ability of the liver to release glucose, the risk is higher, especially in the case of empty abdominals or the use of insulin, sulfur-like drugs。
Worse still, the symptoms of intoxication and low blood sugar are very similar — all of which may be characterized by confusion, incoherence and uncertainty in walking, with others being difficult to distinguish and prone to delay。
A middle-aged man who had fallen asleep after a family dinner thought he was just drunk and found his blood sugar only 2. 1mmol/l the following morning。
After the medical doctor had been sent, he learned that he had been drinking half a pound of white wine the previous night without eating the main food, and that the combination of multiple factors, together with the fact that he was taking sugar-depressants, had led to severe low blood sugar. The risk of empty beverages for sugar friends is often overlooked。
It's not that people with diabetes can't touch alcohol at all. If the control of blood sugar is stable and there are no serious complications, proper drinking under the supervision of a doctor is considered。
However, there are strict criteria for “appropriate”: men consume less than 25 grams of alcohol per day (approximately 750 ml of beer, 250 ml of wine or 50 ml of white wine), while women are reduced by half. It is also important to avoid strong wine and to give preference to low-intensity, low sugar, such as dry wine。
Drinking must be accompanied by food, especially staples containing carbohydrates. Eating and drinking makes blood sugar more stable. Don't drink wine like water, let's not replace it for dinner。
There were patients who only drank two glasses of yellow wine for “sugar control” dinner, which woke up in the middle of the night, shaking and sweating. This practice of “drinking for dinner” is extremely dangerous。
The use of alcohol during medications requires special care. The interaction of certain sugar pills with alcohol may trigger a “dual sulfur-like reaction” in the form of facial red, disgusting, heart attack, etc., which, although not common, is scary when it occurs。
Even if there is no apparent discomfort, alcohol may affect the pace of drug metabolic and make drug effects unpredictable. It's best not to drink on the day of the drug, which is a safe red line that many sugar friends can easily ignore。
There is also a problem that is often underestimated: invisible sugar in alcohol. Many people think that only sweet wine contains sugar, but there are a lot of fruity beer, pre-made cocktails, rice wine and yellow wine。
A bottle of fruit-flavored beer may have sugar equivalent to a bowl of rice, and the blood sugar naturally rises. Sugar friends are advised to look at the table and nutrients before choosing alcohol, avoiding products that add sugar, juice, honey, etc。
In the long run, frequent alcohol consumption may also increase insulin resistance. Although a small amount of alcohol has shown in some studies that it may improve insulin sensitivity, the effect is very weak and is offset by the metabolic burden of alcohol itself。
In particular, for diabetics with overweight or fatty livers, alcohol further increases the liver burden and is detrimental to overall metabolic health. Sometimes it's easier to get used to it。
Individual differences determine each individual's tolerance for alcohol. The fact that someone drinks a small glass of red heart beats and that someone drinks half a bottle doesn't make the latter “safer”。
Blood sugar reactions, liver function, drug use, and dietary structure influence the final outcome. It is important not to mimic other people's drinking, let alone listen to rumours such as “drinking can cure diabetes”. There is currently no authoritative research to support the role of alcohol in treating diabetes。
If you really want to drink it, it is recommended to be prepared in advance: to measure the blood sugar once to ensure that it is within normal range; to schedule the time and content of the next meal; to inform the next person that he or she is diabetic, and in case of abnormality, to be identified in a timely manner
The body signal is monitored within hours of the wine and the blood sugar is measured again if necessary. Safe drinking presupposes adequate preparation and awareness, not a sense of “try”。
For many sugar friends, it's not alcohol that really needs to be stopped, it's "fate." it's like, "why can't i be drinking this once," but it's not the specific nature of its metabolic system。
Health management does not seek absolute freedom, but rather makes more informed choices after understanding risks. Sometimes, a glass of sugar-free soda with lemon tablets can also be decent and reassuring at the table。
In the middle of the night, a glass of warm water may bring about real relaxation more than a glass of wine. Health is not a shackle, but a way for you to laugh and raise a glass in the days ahead, not to lie in bed with regret。
Instead of a one-time bet, it's better to hold on to the blood sugar lifeline — a long, sober life。
