Type 2 Effects on BG when avoiding alcohol for a month - advice needed!

Flora123 · Oct 10, 2019

I was asked to join some colleagues in avoiding alcohol for the month of October. I started a bit late due to a family party.

Anyway here I am one week into my dry month and enjoying it but by blood glucose is considerably raised throughout the day since starting, despite eating the same.

I’m not a huge drinker but I do like a glass of wine in the evening, sometimes none and sometimes two. My recent readings have been between 4.5 and 6.5 and predicted latest Hba1c at 34 (it’s usually below what is predicted). However since starting this, my recent readings are all in the 6-7+ range throughout the entire day. Fasting at 7. I’m not ill, stressed or coming down with something.

So my question is, why is this happening? Can having a glass of wine in the evening suppress your readings for the whole of the next day? Is my body just so stressed at not having wine?!

. Is this going to stop and what can I do? @Jim Lahey do you have any advice? I remember you mentioning something about giving alcohol up as you were kidding yourself about good readings. Thanks.

Antje77 · Oct 10, 2019

When the liver is busy processing alcohol it will leave it's other jobs, like dumping glucose in your blood. So now it's got it's hands free it's happily providing you with energy in the form of glucose I'd guess.

People on insulin are warned about drinking, because it can lower bg many hours afterwards, possibly resulting in hypo's during sleep.

Member496333 · Oct 10, 2019

Flora123 said:
@Jim Lahey do you have any advice? I remember you mentioning something about giving alcohol up as you were kidding yourself about good readings. Thanks.

Not sure I remember putting it like that exactly, but yes I became convinced that it was artificially lowering my postprandial glucose which would then very likely bounce back without my knowledge some hours later whilst I slept. Those with Libre/CGM might be able to shed some light on that idea. I don't specifically recall thinking that it had any lasting effect the following day. In any case I've been teetotal for almost two years now. My main motivations being;

It wasn't ever going to help insulin resistance in the longer term (liver fat deposition).
I was limited to wine & distilled spirits and didn't really want to go down the road of potential overconsumption.

It's not impossible that you are seeing a coincidence caused by impending illness that you haven't yet noticed or may never notice. Sometimes we can experience slightly elevated blood glucose while the body fights infections that we might otherwise never be aware of. Particularly likely at this time of year.

Hope things settled down quickly for you. I certainly wouldn't get back on the grog in the hope that it will lower your glucose

EDIT: I’m also not one of those who believes in the notion that some alcohol is good for us. Not unlike how I don’t believe that whole grains are good for us. But that’s probably a controversial viewpoint better left for another day. Never take away a person’s bread and wine!

ianf0ster · Oct 10, 2019

Flora123 said:
I was asked to join some colleagues in avoiding alcohol for the month of October. I started a bit late due to a family party.

Anyway here I am one week into my dry month and enjoying it but by blood glucose is considerably raised throughout the day since starting, despite eating the same.

I’m not a huge drinker but I do like a glass of wine in the evening, sometimes none and sometimes two. My recent readings have been between 4.5 and 6.5 and predicted latest Hba1c at 34 (it’s usually below what is predicted). However since starting this, my recent readings are all in the 6-7+ range throughout the entire day. Fasting at 7. I’m not ill, stressed or coming down with something.

So my question is, why is this happening? Can having a glass of wine in the evening suppress your readings for the whole of the next day? Is my body just so stressed at not having wine?!
. Is this going to stop and what can I do? @Jim Lahey do you have any advice? I remember you mentioning something about giving alcohol up as you were kidding yourself about good readings. Thanks.

Hi Flora,
I have never given up alcohol, but I am aware that for me a little alcohol on an evening can reduce both same day and the next day's BG readings - at least until lunch time.
This is quite a common effect, which I notice because unlike you I only drink a little red wine on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday night - basically a bottle over the weekend. So I can see the difference in BG readings on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings compared with Sat through Monday mornings.
I hope this helps.

Flora123 · Oct 10, 2019

Antje77 said:
When the liver is busy processing alcohol it will leave it's other jobs, like dumping glucose in your blood. So now it's got it's hands free it's happily providing you with energy in the form of glucose I'd guess.

People on insulin are warned about drinking, because it can lower bg many hours afterwards, possibly resulting in hypo's during sleep.

I was aware of that but all day?!

Flora123 · Oct 10, 2019

Jim Lahey said:
Not sure I remember putting it like that exactly, but yes I became convinced that it was artificially lowering my postprandial glucose which would then very likely bounce back without my knowledge some hours later whilst I slept. Those with Libre/CGM might be able to shed some light on that idea. I don't specifically recall thinking that it had any lasting effect the following day. In any case I've been teetotal for almost two years now. My main motivations being;

It wasn't ever going to help insulin resistance in the longer term (liver fat deposition).

I was limited to wine & distilled spirits and didn't really want to go down the road of potential overconsumption.

It's not impossible that you are seeing a coincidence caused by impending illness that you haven't yet noticed or may never notice. Sometimes we can experience slightly elevated blood glucose while the body fights infections that we might otherwise never be aware of. Particularly likely at this time of year.

Hope things settled down quickly for you. I certainly wouldn't get back on the grog in the hope that it will lower your glucose

EDIT: I’m also not one of those who believes in the notion that some alcohol is good for us. Not unlike how I don’t believe that whole grains are good for us. But that’s probably a controversial viewpoint better left for another day. Never take away a person’s bread and wine!

Thanks Jim. Apologies if I’ve misquoted you!

Flora123 · Oct 10, 2019

ianf0ster said:
Hi Flora,
I have never given up alcohol, but I am aware that for me a little alcohol on an evening can reduce both same day and the next day's BG readings - at least until lunch time.
This is quite a common effect, which I notice because unlike you I only drink a little red wine on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday night - basically a bottle over the weekend. So I can see the difference in BG readings on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings compared with Sat through Monday mornings.
I hope this helps.

It does help. Thank you. Well let’s see how the rest of the month goes!

Flora123 · Oct 10, 2019

Flora123 said:
Thanks Jim. Apologies if I’ve misquoted you!

Yes Jim I did definitely misquoted you! You said it gave you “an overinflated view” of the quality of your blood glucose regulation. Sorry.

Antje77 · Oct 10, 2019

Flora123 said:
I was aware of that but all day?!

Apparently, yes. Just like with exercise, people on insulin are warned that you need to be wary of lower bg at night and the next day.
Not sure how it works, but I guess they don't warn for nothing.

Flora123 · Oct 10, 2019

Antje77 said:
Apparently, yes. Just like with exercise, people on insulin are warned that you need to be wary of lower bg at night and the next day.
Not sure how it works, but I guess they don't warn for nothing.

Thanks. It’s interesting. My BG seems to be slightly lower today. Fingers crossed it has been a blip!

Member496333 · Oct 10, 2019

Flora123 said:
Yes Jim I did definitely misquoted you! You said it gave you “an overinflated view” of the quality of your blood glucose regulation. Sorry.

Sure thing. No problem. Pretty much means the same thing anyway

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