Alcohol and diabetes

Abstract

Single bouts of ethanol do not worsen and may improve glucose tolerance in diabetics. However, daily drinking in moderate amounts (i.e., 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg) clearly worsens diabetic control and increases the prevalence of impotence, retinopathy, and possibly peripheral neuropathy. Approximately the same consumption of ethanol is associated with a decreased risk of myocardial infarction and a decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality. These latter studies are in a mixed population, making it difficult to discern whether these beneficial ethanol effects are actually operative in diabetics. Therefore, more data is needed to determine whether the beneficial effects of daily drinking of moderate amounts of ethanol outweighs the deleterious ones. The prudent course at this time would be to avoid daily drinking. Clearly, drinking large amounts of ethanol is to be avoided as such behavior can cause ketoacidosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and if taken outside the context of a meal, can cause hypoglycemia and ultimately increased death from non- cardiovascular causes.