Is alcohol lowering my meter readings?

[VinnyJames]

I'm reasonably well controlled T2 with diet and exercise but have the odd splurge when I eat out.
Rice, chips, pasta are all shoved down my throat but I test 2 hours later and I'm usually below 6 but 7 with chips.
I'm pretty strict with diet at home.

The big difference when I eat out is I have 2 large glasses of white wine.

Is the alcohol giving me a lower meter reading?

I know I could swerve the alcohol but I enjoy it.

Would testing after 3 hours give a more reliable result?


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[xyzzy]

The good news is yes! Simplistically alcohol is treated as a poison which makes your liver deal with it in priority to glucose so the net effect is your bgs don't rise as much. I find a G&T more effective than wine.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[douglas99]

It's a good question.

Alcohol is processed by your liver, before carbohydrates are.

So you process about one glass of wine an hour, so after the two glasses, simplistically two hours, you start to process the carbs. So, depending on your metabolism, all you may be doing is putting off the inevitable.
You do stop the liver releasing glucose as well though, until the alcohol is processed. So you should see a dip.

Not a bad thing, but maybe not a free pass.

I've also found my overall bs rises slightly if I drink intermittently, and falls generally if I give it up for a longer period.
The New Scientist ran an article

http://www.newscientist.com/article...dry-january-really-worth-it.html#.UvIBUK1FDMw