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Alcohol

I

IantheH

Newbie
Hi

This is my first post, and I was wondering how other peoples Sugar Levels behave when drinking alcohol. I was told that alcohol makes your sugar levels drop, but mine seem to go through the roof and I'm puzzled.

Ian
 
I tend to drink once or twice a year and then really go for it, not ideal or recommended I know, but then thats the least of my problems! (last drink was April 5th, previous to thant Nov 26th)

I actually don't like alcohol that much and can't drink any wines or beers, so only drink the dreaded alcopops, usually smirnoff ice. I ususally end up going to bed with a sky high bm, but have only half a correction dose as it drops quite dramatically 12 hours after.
 
Hi Ian and welcome to you,
It all depends on your tipple. Beer contains a high amount of sugar and will raise your BS very quickly. However the alcohol has the effect of reducing blood sugar. So a common effect of drinking beer is a quick BS high, followed by a hypo! About the only beer that won't spike your BS is pilsner lager, because these are fermented longer so all the sugar converts to alcohol.

Spirits wont raise your blood sugar (provided you drink neat or have sugar-free mixers). Wine also doesn't raise BS and, like spirits, actually lowers BS.
 
Hi,
If you like bitter try Tesco 2.1% bitter, it only contains 3 carbs per can. It tastes a bit 'thin' but then 4 cans equates to your average slice of toast so its no contest really. Its also remarkably cheap.
Happy drinking.
 
I tend to drink average strength Lagers (Fosters, Carlsberg) and Bitter/Ale. I was under the impression that the lower the alcohol content in Beer then the higher the sugar content, is this true?
 
Hi IantheH,

Since it's the fermentation of sugar into alcohol that does the business, then yes it's probably true that the lower the alcohol, the more the sugar. The highly alcoholic spirits won't raise your blood sugar at all, which is excellent news if you like your malt whisky. :wink: Beers at around 5% alcohol will definitely raise your bs, while wines at 12-15% will too, but very much less.
The fall in blood sugar later is partly down to the alcohols ability to paralyse the liver, preventing it from generating glucose for a while.

Cheers!

fergus
 
Hi Jem,
Of course you can but no more than 2 bottles a night hic :lol: :lol: :lol: and watch the Macadamia nuts very addictive. I blame it on Fergus,he put me on to them should a moderator be pushing addictive substances :?:

Cheers
Graham
Jem said:
does this mean I can have my vodka ???
Click to expand...
 
excellent -as long as it's the litre bottles, 2 a night should be fine!!!!! hahah

ah yes macadamias are rather addictive, therefore I will not buy them in bulk - less the opportunity arise to EAT them in bulk also haaha ... my diabetes nurse said never eat cashews. ****! figures though, they're pretty high in stuff we don't want to eat

cheers! J/x

*hic*
 
I have been partaking in an occasional bottle (1.3 uk units) of Marstons Low C (Low Carb) with my evening meal, which is very nice and tasty and has only 1.65gms of carbs per bottle.
 
I partook (for the first time in many many weeks and certainly since diagnosis 22.Aug) in some light vodka-aided-therapy at the weekend ... 4 or 5 vodkas with soda water and a slice of fresh lime or lemon ... lots of dancing ...

The following morning my bgs were pretty good, not abnormally high and certainly not low enough to be in hypo-country - but I did feel a bit w*nk ... almost hypo-like feelings ... and a major brain-fogging - and no, not hangover either ... although I did sleep rather a long time (as dp had taken my bundle of sunshine out for the whole of the am) ...

So can I conclude that a little vodka once in a while 9maybe 6 or 7 times in the year) won't actually kill me, blind me or make my legs fall off? or am I being far too optimistic about this?

Taaaaaaaaaaaaa xxx
 
Dunno about your legs falling off, but would life be worth living without the odd splurge? And that is for each and every one of us to answer individually...
 
Um, falling off... isn't that lepresy? I thought we had ours chopped off!? Sorry... humour ... odd... hum...
 
odd humour works very much in my favour

fall off - chopped off - nett result is footlessness* (possibly not a legal word) ... y'know what I mean!

brings to mind that episode of the simpsons when bart and homer go to an Hawaiian island to be treated for leprosy ... funny, but not ... if you know what I mean
 
Not had a drink since diagnosed (mind you, its not been that long............................. )
When I finally venture back into my previously inhabited world - anyone know the skinny on JD?
Eddie said malt whiskeys have little effect on bs and others seem to think vodka fine . Can I assume bourbon is included in this (PLEASE GOD!!!)?

If so, should I be eating before, during and after a drink. How many drinks do you need to be having before doing this. Am on premix so dont have 'luxury' of bolus control etc.


Ta muchly

L
 
Hallo sweetie,

Sorry cannot answer the question directly, I "imagine" JD has a similar effect BUT isn't it made from grains? It might be worth proceeding with caution, afterall ~ we're each of us unique and what works for one may not work for another??

You could maybe try one glass (a shot, not a pint) with a meal you have eatn previously that has NOT affected your bg, and see if the reading alters?

Then try two shots by themselves another time and measure the results??

I honestly believe that because we all react so differently, we must each tailor our own lists of things which work and things to be avoided.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

PS - case in point, I can eat a whole (small green) banana and it does NOT negatively impact my bg reading, however bananas are known to be extremely carby and some people avoid them completely, or only have a half portion ... however, I ate one quarter of a mini (yes mini) naan bread the other night and (based on the fact the rest of the meal was identical to one I'd eaten previously with NO affect) my blood sugar shot up to 13 ... ARGH ... so I can't eat naan bread ... I console myself with the fact it wasn't all that good anyway

*sob*

BEST J/xxx
 
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