cugila said:
viviennem said:
A question, though - I'm sure I've read somewhere that alcohol causes inflammation in the body, including inflammation of the pancreas, which I believe can be one of the causes of diabetes.
It may lower our BGs temporarily, but if it ultimately worsens the condition . . .?
Viv
That's one of the problems Viv. People seem to forget the effect that Alcohol has on many parts of the body. It may help lower Bg levels in moderation but it can be detrimental to various organs and body processes, especially in excess.
It is a matter for the individual how much is 'moderate'.
If people are not aware of the numerous effects they should take a look at this link........
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-facts
Can I preface this with the standard YMMV! I wholeheartedly agree with the comment that it is a matter for the individual how much is 'moderate'.
I am NOT advocating that anyone changes their lifestyle based on this post; do your own research, and make as informed a decision as you can, taking all factors (including your individual tolerance, experience and social environment) into account.
The Drinkaware site has some surprising facts, in the context of the debate on this thread, so far.
Here's an extract of their comments on "alcohol and diabetes" (the numbers refer to footnote references accessible from the link in Cugila's post above):
Drinking alcohol can contribute to the conditions that cause diabetes. There is evidence to suggest that heavy drinking can reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can trigger type 2 diabetes.(6) Diabetes is a common side effect of chronic pancreatitis, which is overwhelmingly caused by heavy drinking. One in three people who have chronic pancreatitis will develop diabetes.(7)
Drinking can also increase your chance of becoming overweight and therefore your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Alcohol contains a huge amount of calories – one pint of beer can be equivalent to a chocolate bar.
However, several studies have shown that light to moderate drinking actually may reduce your chance of getting type 2 diabetes.(8) (9) (10) (11)
A 2005 review of 15 previous studies into the link between diabetes and alcohol concluded that ‘moderate drinkers’ (those who drank between one and six units per day) were a third less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than abstainers or heavy drinkers. Teetotallers and heavy drinkers have an equally high risk of developing diabetes.(12) This is thought to be because low to moderate levels of alcohol make the body more sensitive to insulin.(13)
Now I wonder how many readers of this thread are regarding "moderate" drinking as up to 6 units a day? And at that level, the risk of DEVELOPING T2 diabetes, was REDUCED by 1/3 .
I appreciate that this advice refers to the risk of developing diabetes, and is not directly related to those of us already with T2 diabetes, but thought it worthwhile posting some of the direct "facts" that are published about alcohol.
Here's another summary of recent studies from
http://www.drinkingandyou.com/site/uk/health/diabetes.htm
A recent meta-analysis by Pietraszek et al (2010) concluded: "light to moderate alcohol consumption seems to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%, while heavy drinkers have the same or higher risk than total abstainers." Crandall et al (2009) have also shown that pre-diabetics who consume alcohol are at lower risk of developing diabetes. The analysis was from the Diabetes Prevention Program, involving patients from 27 centers throughout the US.
Another recent paper by Joosten et al 2010 showed that moderate drinking considerably lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes even among subjects who are otherwise following a healthy lifestyle (not obese, non-smokers, physically active, eating a healthy diet). The authors suggest that moderate drinking should be considered as a complement, and not as an alternative, to other healthy lifestyle habits that lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Cardiovascular disease remains as the leading cause of death among diabetics. Thus, it may also be important to comment on the very convincing and consistent data over many decades indicating a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease among diabetics who drink alcohol in comparison with abstainers.
However, binge drinking increased the number of diabetes cases. Excessive consumption can impair glycaemic control, and increase the risk of diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy.
A cursory search on Google will show that there is no universal (or even pan-EU) guidance on what is a recommended weekly intake of alcohol in units, and somewhere (although I can't find the link now) I came across an interview with the guy that first proposed the 21/14 unit basis for the UK, where he admitted that there was no scientific basis for the limit, but that it just seemed a reasonable one and he was under pressure to produce a recommendation!