Type 1s: Hot water

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21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Poison...., a bad attitude, pumpkin food (yuck), pictures of chocolate (such a tease)
Hi Type 1s!

I follow a number of diabetes advocates on Instagram and one of them is claiming that your blood sugar can be lowered by drinking 4-5 cups of hot water a day.

I didn't believe this at all and went about searching Google. I found a number of vague American studies but nothing concrete, nor British.

The one thing I hate more is reading 'miracle' cures and myths. Can anyone confirm whether there is any truth to this? Thanks.
 

miahara

Well-Known Member
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1,019
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
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Insulin
You do need to hydrate but personally I can't see any advantage of hot water over cold water as by the time the liquid reaches the parts of your digestive tract that take up the sugars the temperature will have reached blood temperature.
Excess sugars end up in the kidneys and I guess that good hydration help the sugars to be flushed out faster.
 

azure

Expert
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Type of diabetes
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And did it explain just how it lowered blood sugar @passittotheleft ??

I sometimes drink hot water but I doubt very much it has any effect on my levels.
 
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
Dislikes
Poison...., a bad attitude, pumpkin food (yuck), pictures of chocolate (such a tease)
Is was very wishy-washy, no pun intended!

It seemed very vague and not empirical. I'll keep digging. Cheers.
 
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Juicyj

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Retired Moderator
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Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hi @passittotheleft Sorry but I can't see any truth in this, as mentioned there are benefits to drinking water from a hydration and kidney point of view but have not come across anything to suggest this may aid BG levels.
 

catapillar

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,390
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Does the diabetes advocate on Instagram actually have type 1 diabetes?

Sounds like nonsense to me. The thing that lowers blood sugar is taking insulin. I can't see that 4 glasses of water a day would have any impact on blood sugar.
 

Nidge247

Well-Known Member
Messages
205
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Diet only
I usually get through 3-4 pints of water during the course of the working day, but this is just hydration. I've certainly never noticed it reducing BGs, and since being on LCHF my levels are usually steady through the day.

I would have thought that for people with very high sugars, it would act as a vehicle for getting rid of some excess, but for the 'normal range diabetic' I would expect it to be mainly hydration. I'll stand corrected though if any 'evidence' turns up!
 
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Resurgam

Expert
Messages
9,849
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
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Diet only
Oddly enough - I used to always make up a jug of mint and liquorice tea before sitting down at the computer, and would drink it over the course of the day - I warmed it up using a tea light. In the months before diagnosis I got out of the habit - I could try a few cups and see if there is any effect, I do have a meter.
 
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Poison...., a bad attitude, pumpkin food (yuck), pictures of chocolate (such a tease)
H
Does the diabetes advocate on Instagram actually have type 1 diabetes?

Sounds like nonsense to me. The thing that lowers blood sugar is taking insulin. I can't see that 4 glasses of water a day would have any impact on blood sugar.


Yes, it's absolute rubbish. I just couldn't believe they would post this without some sort of conviction. Saying that, I've had all sorts of strange people approach me, telling me they can help me, bla bla bla.

I should have known. Cheers.
 
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Poison...., a bad attitude, pumpkin food (yuck), pictures of chocolate (such a tease)
Oddly enough - I used to always make up a jug of mint and liquorice tea before sitting down at the computer, and would drink it over the course of the day - I warmed it up using a tea light. In the months before diagnosis I got out of the habit - I could try a few cups and see if there is any effect, I do have a meter.

Hot water is great for everyone, it helps with digestion but there's no evidence that it lowers blood sugar for diabetics. The general public? Probably helps regulate blood sugars quicker.

Apologies, this claim holds no 'water'.
 
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Poison...., a bad attitude, pumpkin food (yuck), pictures of chocolate (such a tease)
Hi @passittotheleft Sorry but I can't see any truth in this, as mentioned there are benefits to drinking water from a hydration and kidney point of view but have not come across anything to suggest this may aid BG levels.


Another 'quack' theory to add to the list! My 'gut' feeling was that this was rubbish, I just had to be sure that it holds no 'water' .

Thanks for confirming my suspicions!
 

isjoberg

Well-Known Member
Messages
268
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I once was waiting for my mum to return home ( had left my insulin in her bag) and had a slightly bg (around 9 if I remember correctly) and in drinking about two litres of water I managed to lower it ... ... although it may just be due to basal kicking in!! Doesn't sound very plausible - I go through phases of drinking lots of tea and I see no marked difference in my bg levels