When a person is faced with the diagnosis of diabetes, several situations may cross his mind. The most common ones are related to changing habits, especially when this indicates restrictions.
Food, for example, is one of the main aspects to be adjusted. Along with it, the practice of physical exercises is also encouraged. But what about drinking alcohol? Is he banned?
The answer to this question requires an in-depth analysis, but we have already advanced that no, that is, diabetes and alcohol are a possible combination to happen. Now, continue reading and understand better about it!
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Understand the big picture of alcohol consumption
Before actually entering into the relationship between the condition and consumption, it is necessary to understand what is associated with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. In fact, alcoholism is a worldwide public health epidemic and, given its scope, attention must be drawn back a little.
In other words, before thinking about the consequences, we need to analyze the causes. What drives the individual to drink? What does he look for in the drink? What is the relationship between reward and pleasure deposited in consumption?
Faced with such complexity, it would be very wrong to just determine the prohibition of alcohol without a deep analysis of what is involved in the context.
Thinking about data, statistics reveal that the prevalence of consumption is 74.6% in the population. Analyzing diabetic adults specifically, the indices portray substance use in 50.8% of people.
When associated with the pleasurable sensation, makes the total abolition of use somewhat difficult. Therefore, the most sought-after alternative is health education. Through it, it becomes possible for people to understand the risks and benefits of alcohol, as well as the way for consumption not to be harmful.
When the diabetic understands that the problem is not the intake of alcohol itself, but the amounts ingested, there is a greater chance of reducing them and, therefore, there is also greater adherence to treatment.
So how about understanding how to strike a balance between risks and benefits?
Know the risks of alcoholic beverages
Starting with the risks, we know that they involve the most diverse organs and systems of the organism. However, let’s better understand what is related to diabetes, that is, the paradox that alcohol generates in glycemic control.
Did you know that one of the functions of the liver is to metabolize substances? This means that it deactivates some compounds, ranging from medications to the ethyl component of beverages. After metabolization, they are excreted, either through sweat or urine, for example.
So, when alcohol is consumed, the liver begins the process of deactivating the substances. However, it works in the following way: it metabolizes a dose of 1 drink every 2 hours. Thinking about speed and quantity, would this be the reality of consumption?
We know that he is often superior to that. Therefore, what is not being metabolized by the liver remains in the bloodstream, causing effects such as:
- dizziness;
- disinhibition;
- decreased reasoning ability;
- euphoria.
In addition to metabolizing substances, the liver plays an important role in controlling blood glucose. When it detects that the glycemic level is low, that is, in hypoglycemia, it directs its reserves to the blood, in addition to acting by producing sugar.
So, think about the situation of fasting alcohol consumption: glucose levels are low, and the liver needs to regulate the situation, but at the same time, it needs to metabolize the ingested alcohol. The result of this is hypoglycemia.
On the other hand, imagine the situation of the consumption of beverages associated with food, either at a barbecue or with snacks. Generally, food has a high carbohydrate content and, as alcohol also has this characteristic, glycemic levels rise quickly. This is also not ideal for anyone with diabetes.
Therefore, we know that there are risks in relation to diabetes when alcohol is consumed. Those who have this condition need to carry a glucometer always close by to check glucose levels when necessary. The ideal times to measure blood glucose at a party are before eating and drinking, during the party, and afterward, to avoid unnecessary scares.
Until then, the risks were only short-term. But what about the long term? What is the impact of alcohol? Cardiovascular risks increase a lot, especially when it comes to high blood pressure. In addition, there is weight gain and worsening of neuropathy, therefore, there is a contraindication for diabetes already with complications.
Discover the benefits of drinks
But is alcohol consumption only related to harm? No, intake in adequate amounts represents some protective factors for various conditions. According to the journal Diabetes Care, there is a 30% reduction in the risk of developing diabetes. In this case, the ideal consumption should not exceed 48 g per day.
And who already has diabetes? Is it possible to get some benefits? It is possible to improve insulin sensitivity, which is primarily responsible for glucose uptake. So, if consumption is up to 30 g for those who already have the condition, the result is better glycemic control.
In addition, more important than improving sensitivity to the hormone is to do so without harming the pancreatic cells responsible for its secretion. Lipolysis, that is, the breakdown of fats, secretes substances that inflame the pancreatic tissue. In adequate and maintained amounts, alcohol can decrease such breakage.
It is important to emphasize that there is a high number of deaths in diabetics due to cardiovascular events. In the elderly, consumption of 14 g, on average, reduces cardiac ischemic events by 80%, that is, heart attacks.
Know the right amounts
In general, the indicated is 1 dose for women and 2 doses for men. But what is a dose? Each drink has this specified, being:
- beer: 360 mL;
- wine: 150 mL;
- hard liquor: 45 mL.
In addition, there are some important recommendations. The first is not to ingest fasting, that is, be fed before consumption. Don’t forget to hydrate yourself with water, especially when you are drinking alcohol.
Speaking specifically of beer, it is a drink with a high alcohol and carbohydrate content. Considering that artisanal one can contain up to twice as much of both substances, avoid consuming them.
