The Risks of Diabetes from Alcohol Abuse and Getting Treatment
For someone struggling with alcohol addiction, a diabetes diagnosis only makes it more challenging. There are nearly three decades of research that indicate how drinking alcohol can “worsen blood sugar control” in the body. As a result, it can increase the diabetes risk of diabetes and lead to “alcohol-induced diabetes”.
But the real question among many people is: Can alcohol-induced diabetes be reversed?
When talking about diabetes due to alcohol intake, the answer is yes, in many cases. However, the relationship between chronic alcohol consumption and diabetes is more complicated than it seems.
The good news is that with healthy lifestyle changes, you can improve your blood sugar levels. On top of that, if you practice moderate alcohol consumption or even quit it, you can significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes before it happens.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with alcohol abuse, which is negatively affecting their blood sugar regulation, then professional help is necessary. Get in touch with Purpose Healing Center, where alcohol addiction treatment is our expertise and mission.
An Overview of Alcohol-Induced Diabetes – What Is It?
Diabetes, also called “diabetes mellitus,” is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels. There is more than one type of diabetes – Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
However, heavy alcohol consumption can lead to the development of diabetes for some people as well. Now, this typically happens in two different ways:
- Heavy alcohol use leads to high blood sugar levels
- Excessive alcohol consumption leads to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance
That is one of the reasons why experts believe that moderate alcohol consumption lowers blood sugar levels and might also reduce the overall impact of diabetes-alcohol. Both of the above-mentioned situations can arise due to chronic heavy drinking.
Therefore, if you or someone in your loved ones is battling acute alcohol consumption disorder, it’s time to get help. Due to excessive alcohol intake, they may be at a greater risk of affecting the insulin-producing cells in their body. As a result, your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels can decline gradually.
In simple words, that means your body cannot process blood glucose due to high insulin resistance. It can’t produce insulin due to binge drinking interfering with the liver and pancreatic function. However, depending on the situation, it can either lead to low blood sugar levels or high blood sugar levels.
How Does Chronic Alcohol Consumption Affect Insulin Sensitivity?
Drinking alcohol has different effects on individuals, depending on several factors like their age, metabolism, and existing medical conditions. However, alcoholic beverages affect how your body responds to insulin. It can make your body more resistant to it (i.e., insulin, which is a hormone important for moving sugar from your bloodstream into your cells).
It can lead to decreased insulin sensitivity and make your healthy cells less responsive to it. What does that mean? It means that when you consume alcohol frequently, your body requires more and more insulin to do the same job (i.e., move sugar from bloodstream to cells).
In turn, this makes it harder for your body to control the blood glucose levels. And hence, the blood glucose levels rise and give way to “diabetes type 2”.
What Happens in Alcohol Metabolism?
Individuals with excessive drinking habits also experience what’s called “alcohol metabolism”. This is when drinking alcohol affects the metabolic functions of the body. It starts to prioritize alcohol breakdown and digestion over glucose metabolism.
As a result, it leads to high blood sugar levels or low blood sugar levels. What’s more important is that this rapid fluctuation can lead to abnormal glucose tolerance. Moreover, it is extremely dangerous for individuals who are at an increased risk of developing insulin resistance.
What Does Alcohol Do to Blood Sugar Levels (and Regulation)?
If you consume alcohol regularly – and in high quantities – it will significantly affect your blood glucose levels. It will impact your insulin stimulated glucose uptake as your body will be prioritizing alcohol metabolism over glucose breakdown.
Initially, the body will react to alcohol in the form of a temporary increase in blood sugar. That happens as alcohol stands first in line to get metabolized after pushing glucose down. But once alcohol is out of the way, your liver (and other organs) start metabolizing glucose.
Now, depending on the level of insulin production, there might be a drastic drop in the blood sugar levels, which can lead to hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar). For someone already dealing with alcohol abuse and diabetes, it can lead to a nerve-wracking cycle of blood glucose level drops (and highs).
Moreover, chronic consumption of alcoholic beverages can lead to impaired insulin secretion – a risk factor for developing diabetes in struggling individuals. However, it can lead to other health complications as well.
- Kidney Disease – This often happens due to long-term alcohol abuse because alcohol metabolism damages the kidneys. It makes it harder for the kidneys to filter out excess sugar from the blood, which can lead to “diabetic kidney disease”.
- Cardiovascular Disease – There is scientific evidence and research that confirms how regular alcohol consumption can lead to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease (more common in individuals with or at risk of diabetes mellitus). Another set of studies has linked alcohol to atrial fibrillation or AFib cardiac conditions.
- Nerve Damage – Over time, high blood sugar (combined with excess alcohol consumption) can damage the nerves in your body. Alcohol can also affect how your body absorbs nutrients like Vitamin B12 which are essential for healthy nerve cells. Together, they can lead to diabetic neuropathy or alcohol neuropathy.
- Eye Problems – The blood vessels in and around your eyes also sustain damage because of diabetes-alcohol, according to the National Eye Institute. The damage, if persistent, can lead to diabetic retinopathy, which is a potential risk factor for blindness due to alcohol.
- Severe Inflammation – Chronic alcohol use disorder is often associated with worsening inflammation in the body. That is a common risk factor for impaired blood sugar control and regulation, which might give rise to diabetes.
Is Alcohol-Induced Diabetes Reversible?
Coming back to our main question, is alcohol-induced diabetes reversible? Yes, it is reversible but it will require comprehensive treatment planning and diabetes management. For most, quitting alcohol is the first step towards reversing the damage due to alcohol abuse.
When you stop chronic alcohol consumption, you may experience a significant improvement in your insulin sensitivity. This restores your body’s natural ability to regulate blood sugar and may also significantly reduce the risk of diabetes-related health complications (like gestational diabetes).
It might take anywhere from a few days to weeks, but when you quit, there won’t be any alcohol to interfere with your glucose metabolism or insulin production. So, over time, your body will become more sensitive to insulin, which means that it will be able to process blood sugar more effectively.
But it’s important to know that you can’t reverse alcohol-induced diabetes completely in every case. In some cases, alcohol abuse leads to severe insulin resistance and damages the insulin-producing cells. In such cases, individuals require blood sugar management for the rest of their lives.
Regardless, quitting alcohol or even shifting to moderate alcohol intake initially might help you improve your health dramatically.
Is Alcohol-Induced Hypoglycemia Also Reversible?
Yes, it can be reversed, and the way to do it is by saying “no” to alcoholic drinks. When you stop alcohol use, the body starts to regain its ability to regulate blood sugar, gradually. The alcohol is no longer interfering with the blood glucose metabolism. Hence, the risk of hypoglycemia may decrease.
This is a condition that most commonly occurs when someone is drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. It can severely affect blood sugar levels and lead to a drastic drop in blood glucose. As a result, some of the following symptoms of hypoglycemia can arise:
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Shaking (or sweating)
Quitting Alcohol and Its Gradual Impact On Your Health
We already know how quitting alcohol will help you, your loved ones, or anyone else who is struggling with the diabetes-alcohol dilemma.
However, doing so can have a series of effects on your overall well-being. Some of those effects could show up within days of quitting, while others may take up to several months or over a year.
Within Days to Weeks
During this period, the blood glucose levels start to stabilize. It happens within a few days of quitting and it’s because your liver no longer has to perform “alcohol metabolism”. So, it diverts energy toward metabolizing glucose and restoring blood sugar balance. With that, the insulin resistance can also decrease leading to less “erratic” blood glucose levels.
Within One to Three Months
If you or anyone else struggling with the alcohol disorder quits after an extended period of alcohol use disorder, it may take a few months before insulin sensitivity is back to normal. That is because the body is slowly adjusting to the absence of alcohol. And thus, the risk of associated health conditions will also decrease gradually.
Within Six Months to a Year
For some people, full recovery can take as long as a year – sometimes, more. It all depends on the severity of insulin resistance in the body. And, if there are other health conditions or risk factors involved, the recovery can be much slower.
However, that doesn’t mean that recovery is impossible. With the right treatment approach and professional healthcare, alcohol dependence can be overcome. At the same time, experienced medical professionals can help with the management of both alcohol withdrawal symptoms and diabetes.
How Can You Manage Diabetes After Quitting Alcohol?
The method of management can vary from diabetes medications to controlling weight gain and working with rehabilitation experts. The true answer – as most healthcare professionals and our team at Purpose Healing Center believe – is in staying focused while working toward a healthy lifestyle. With that said, here are a few ways you can manage diabetes:
Monitor Blood Sugar Levels Regularly
You have to keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels to track your progress. It will also tell you whether you need to further adjust your lifestyle for better results.
Shift to Moderate Alcohol Consumption
Try to lower your alcohol consumption before quitting completely, if that helps. Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider for the best advice. At same time, you should be avoiding binge drinking to reduce diabetes risk and other adverse health effects (like low blood sugar).
Follow a Healthy Diet
You should be eating a healthy, nutrient-rich diet to regulate blood sugar levels. It will also support your overall well-being and may lead to other health benefits. For starters, you can:
- Reduce your low-refined sugar intake
- Increase high fiber foods
- Add healthy fats to your diet plan
Get into Regular Physical Activity
You can also try different exercises to improve insulin sensitivity – and blood glucose regulation. The American Diabetes Association also confirms that the body can become more sensitivity to insulin after physical activity.
Move Toward a Healthier Life With Our Support at Purpose
We know how difficult it can be after developing diabetes – and diabetes-related lipid abnormalities. Struggling with alcohol and diabetes is a challenge, but finding the right support and professional help can make all the difference in achieving lasting recovery.
When you quit alcohol – with the help of experienced healthcare providers – you start experiencing better blood sugar control. Your insulin sensitivity slowly begins to come back to normal and as a result of that, elevated blood sugar levels become less frequent.
For anyone, whether you or your loved ones, finding the right treatment for excessive alcohol consumption and diabetes is essential. At Purpose Healing Center, we help you through comprehensive programs.
Our facilities in Scottsdale and Phoenix offer multiple treatment options to create an individualized plan suited to your needs. Together, we can help you stop drinking and make diabetes management easier.
Take a huge stride toward a healthier, happier life – call us confidentially today.
480-579-3319