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Type 2 Question About Carbs

N

nsh2111

Well-Known Member
Messages
321
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hello everyone,

Hopefully a quick question. I have always noticed that when I drink alcohol and eat some carb with it, my BS after hr, two hr is always low. Around 6- 6.5

Now I know that liver is busy dealing with alcohol but I have eaten carbs too.

Does this mean that my body produce enough insulin to deal with carbs and not resistant to it? Is it only the issue of liver not getting the signal that there is enough sugar to not dump more in blood?

Is it also why LCHF work as it dries the glycogen stores in liver so it cannot release more unless it makes some from protein?

Any light on this matter will be appreciated as I have not found a clear answer to it.

N
 
Hi @nsh2111 , you’ve tagged your title type 1.5 yet your profile says you are type 2. Maybe you could clarify which is right then members may be able to advise you better.
BTW I don’t drink alcohol so don’t have any experience of this. So sorry I can’t help.
 
Done. Was by mistake
 
I think I like where this might be leading... no doubt someone will be along shortly to burst my bubble! In the meantime.. bottoms up!
 
Your body considers alcohol a poison so your liver deals with it first and pushes the carbs to one side until the alcohol is dealt with THEN it starts on the carbs - my experience is yes whilst the alcohol is in my system my bs will be lower than expected but once the alcohol has cleared my bs will be higher than normal for a few hours or even a day. Usually the morning after and into the day I will be in the high 5s low 6s rather than the high 4s low 5s - I do still enjoy a drink though
 
lovinglife said:
Your body considers alcohol a poison so your liver deals with it first and pushes the carbs to one side
Click to expand...
But carbs are digested in intestine. What does liver have to do. Apologies if it's a stupid remark , I was never good at biology.
 
It's recommended that you avoid alcohol when taking Metformin because you risk very low blood sugars (and rarely lactic acidosis). I found this information: https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/metformin-alcohol#alcohol-and-diabetes
"Alcohol and diabetes
In addition to interacting with metformin, alcohol can also affect your diabetes directly by lowering your blood sugar levels. Alcohol can cause low blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours after you drink it."​
 
nsh2111 said:
But carbs are digested in intestine. What does liver have to do. Apologies if it's a stupid remark , I was never good at biology.
Click to expand...

I think it’s because whilst the liver is metabolizing ethanol other liver functions such as glycogen breakdown to glucose and gluconeogenesis are decreased or inhibited. This means fewer sugar released by the liver into the bloodstream.
 
If you have enough glucose in your bloodstream already, because you have recently eaten, why would the liver be making any more by gluconeogenesis?
 
I don't take any medicine. But yes i can understand why you may have low BS with alcohol.
Mr_Pot said:
If you have enough glucose in your bloodstream already, because you have recently eaten, why would the liver be making any more by gluconeogenesis?
Click to expand...
That is the main question I have. Why does liver think it needs to create more when there is already enough. Is it because insulins levels are high due to insulins resistance and that is how liver thinks it need to create sugar.
 

Hypoglycemia may occur if someone drinks alcohol without food. Of course if you’ve eaten enough carbs the liver won’t be breaking down glycogen or making more glucose through gluconeogenesis.
 
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