• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

whiskey

I am currently sipping on a lovely shot of Jamesons. My first drink in weeks (which is good for me). :D

I'm going to put this whiskey theory to the test! 8)
 
Right folk.

I have just tested myself an hour after two shots of Jameson.......


Today I tested myself 5 times which went as follows:

Fasting: 6.2

2 hours after lunch: 6.7

I hour after dinner: 6.7
2 hours after dinner: 6.8

An hour after 2 shots of whiskeys (that is how it is written on the bottle!) taken with 5 or 6 olives (marinated in sunflower oil) I was 4.7!!!!

What I want to know is, is this last drop in bs levels a pyrrhic victory or something I can genuinely be pleased about? Maybe it was the olives?
 
I've just looked up my dictionary to see what a Pyrrhic victory is. :wink:

The whisky is most definately the cause of your BG reduction. It has the same effect with myself, as does red wine.
 
For men over 40 and for women past the menopause, it is thought that drinking a small amount of alcohol (1-2 units per day) helps to protect against heart disease and stroke.
Click to expand...

A unit is defined as 25ml of spirit in this case. It may be fine for your diabetes, not sure about your liver though ! :shock:
 
Dennis said:
Hi Dobbs,

It's actually very simple. One of the biggest problems for most diabetics is that the liver over-produces glucose, usually while we are asleep but also in smaller quantities during the day. The liver also has the important job of filtering out alcohol from your bloodstream. It seems to operate on a list of priorities, where clearing alcohol takes priority over everything else (proof that everyone's liver is male because it can't multi-task). This means that, while it is dealing with your whisky (or a glass of red in my case) it isn't producing glucose, so your BS level is lower. My memory of the details is a bit hazy (maybe a glass too many!) but I think it takes the liver 1 hour to clear 1 unit of ancohol. So a small whisky would keep it busy for 4 hours, two glasses 8 hours, etc.
Click to expand...

Slightly confused!! A small (125mm) meaure of whiskey is indeed one unit and the liver will take approximately 1 hour to process it. Why then should it stop the liver from producing glucose for four hours and two measures for eight hours etc? I think that this may be incorrect. Incidentally for those that drink red wine (like me) a small standard pub measure i.e. 175mm of wine at 12% volume contains 2.1 units of alcohol. In other words a 125mm measure of 8% wine is 1 unit. This formula can be used to work out the alcohol unit content of any wine and therefore how fast you need to drive back from the pub! :? I'd like to get to the bottom of my query.
 
I have found a very strange phenomena involving alcohol, which I have drunk far too much of for far too many years.

I was diagnosed 3 years ago and am now on 1 x 500mg metformin a day. But since starting the tablets, initially I was on a mix of Gliclazide and Metformin, I have lost 2.5 stone, my liver function tests, which used to be appalling, have returned to normal; my GP even congratulated me on stopping the booze, and was very surprised when I said don't be ridiculous, I drink at least half a bottle of wine and a large whisky every day.

He was most surprised by this, as according to the tests I had been alcohol free for about 6 months. Anyway I also attended a whisky tasting in our village, and the following day had a horrible hypo on the golf course. Fortunately was near the club house and got some fats acting carbs down me and stopped the shakes.

So don't let the booze take over and only one glass max, I just use a very large one.
 
csf1s said:
Slightly confused!! A small (125mm) meaure of whiskey is indeed one unit and the liver will take approximately 1 hour to process it. Why then should it stop the liver from producing glucose for four hours and two measures for eight hours etc? I think that this may be incorrect. Incidentally for those that drink red wine (like me) a small standard pub measure i.e. 175mm of wine at 12% volume contains 2.1 units of alcohol. In other words a 125mm measure of 8% wine is 1 unit. This formula can be used to work out the alcohol unit content of any wine and therefore how fast you need to drive back from the pub! :? I'd like to get to the bottom of my query.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately Dennis is not around very often so unlikely you will get an answer there.

I'm slightly confused as well !!! :? :?

One measure of whisky is 25ml which equals one unit. I'm not sure what you mean by 125mm which to me is millimeters ? Do you use different measurements ?
 
I am not really a drinker but lately after a little trip away I indulged in a glass or two of whiskey and had surprising results with BG levels too! so just to be sociable with friends whilst out and about I partake in a glass or maybe two :D
 
sugarless sue said:
csf1s said:
Slightly confused!! A small (125mm) meaure of whiskey is indeed one unit and the liver will take approximately 1 hour to process it. Why then should it stop the liver from producing glucose for four hours and two measures for eight hours etc? I think that this may be incorrect. Incidentally for those that drink red wine (like me) a small standard pub measure i.e. 175mm of wine at 12% volume contains 2.1 units of alcohol. In other words a 125mm measure of 8% wine is 1 unit. This formula can be used to work out the alcohol unit content of any wine and therefore how fast you need to drive back from the pub! :? I'd like to get to the bottom of my query.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately Dennis is not around very often so unlikely you will get an answer there.

I'm slightly confused as well !!! :? :?

One measure of whisky is 25ml which equals one unit. I'm not sure what you mean by 125mm which to me is millimeters ? Do you use different measurements ?
Click to expand...

Well spotted! I mean, of course, 125 ml. :lol:
 
If your usual measures are 125 mil, just over 4 fl ozs, it's no wonder your calculations are way out....... :lol: That is 5 (FIVE) units of Alcohol, not 1 (ONE).

As Sue stated, one measure of spirits is 25 mil, one measure equals one (ONE) unit of Alcohol.

I think you need to take more water with it......... :roll: not that I do myself, but it is best to know the figures or as here you will get things wrong. Hope that helps. :D

I'm a Glenfiddich, 21 year old single Malt man myself (not my age) ........ :D

Ken

P.S. Here's a useful drinks calculator to work out how many units you consume with individual drinks.
http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tips-and-tools/drink-diary/
 
The problem with going to Scotland is those midges.[/quote]

There are some lovely whiskies distilled in the east of Scotland where they dont suffer the midges. They are peculiar to the west coast. BUT if you cant resist the Islay malts and highlanders then you must persevere.
Have enjoyed reading this forum. Whisky is my favourite drink and now I know about its good side effects I shall indulge a little more often.
Thanks all for a giggle - hic!.
 
I visited the East Coast of Scotland and my car was absolutely covered in the blighters, and I was bitten several times too. So I think you were lucky if you never had problems with them.

Ken
 
Thought I'd add my latest findings from my err...strictly medicinal (ahem) experiments with whiskey.

Having slowly brought my overall bs levels down to the point where late 4s on fasting aren't /weren't uncommon. I abstained from any drinking for a month or so and found that the lower levels generally persisted.

So, now I have reintroduced a few shots (2/3 max) of the good stuff late on a night and (surprise, surprise) have found that it now has the opposite effect and can push my levels ever so slightly up on fasting.

I'd personally conclude small amounts can be very helpful for some T2 to help them bring spiraling levels back down to earth, but once a low level is reached and generally sustained, the substance can actually have the opposite effect and lift your levels a bit.

Anyone else experience anything similar?
 
I haven't tried it ....yet..... but it would be good for my before meal 4s. So tonight... :roll: Save me having to increase my carbs.
 
I find alcohol pushes my levels up.

If I have alcohol on a night, I have to inject a unit or two of short acting to keep the levels from rising through the night. If I don't inject I can expect to levels well above 10 mmols/L.

Type 1 diabetes and on relatively low carb intake.
 
Back
Top