Substances such as drugs or alcohol can affect many areas of your physical and mental health. In fact, anything that you eat, drink, or otherwise consume could potentially impact you in ways you may not have realized. It’s especially important to understand whether alcohol can cause diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
When your blood glucose, or blood sugar, is too high you are
at risk of having a condition
known as diabetes. Your blood glucose, your main source of energy, comes from
what you consume. Insulin, which is a hormone made by your pancreas, helps the
glucose get into your cells so they can use it for energy.
When your body doesn’t make enough of the insulin or doesn’t
use it well, glucose stays in your blood and doesn’t reach those cells. Over
time, too much glucose in your blood can cause issues such as diabetes. Over
10% of the US population had diabetes in 2018. Every year, 1.5 million people
in the US are diagnosed
with the disease. In 2017, it was the seventh leading cause of death in this
country.
Alcohol Increases the Risk
Drinking alcohol can impact your body’s functions in many
ways. Researchers
have found that binge drinking, in particular, causes insulin resistance which
can then lead to type 2 diabetes. Their studies concluded that drinking alone,
without any additional factors such as overeating, can increase your risk for
diabetes.
Alcohol can disrupt your metabolic process as it disrupts
the insulin receptor signaling by causing an inflammation of the hypothalamus. This
is the area of your brain that is important for the metabolic processes in your
body. The main role of the insulin receptor is to control the uptake of glucose
within your body. When the signaling of this receptor is decreased, it means
your cells cannot take up the glucose and that results in too much glucose in
your blood.
Insulin Resistance
When your natural insulin does not bind properly to the
receptor, you can experience insulin resistance. Drinking too much alcohol can
also cause chronic inflammation of your pancreas, which will then impair its
ability to secrete insulin. Even when your pancreas is producing enough
insulin, though, insulin resistance can hamper the receptor’s ability to send
the right signals to your cells so they can use the glucose for the energy you
need.
One of the symptoms you’ll experience as a result of insulin
resistance is that you will have high levels of insulin your bloodstream. This
condition is part of a group of risk factors that will increase the potential
to cause diabetes as well as stroke and coronary artery disease. One of the
researchers noted that “Someone who regularly binge drinks even once a week,
over many years, may remain in an insulin resistant state for an extended
period of time, potentially years.”
Complications of Alcohol Consumption
While alcohol can cause diabetes, there are a number of
other complications
that can result from alcohol consumption in relation to blood glucose. For
example, beer and sweet wine contain carbohydrates that can raise blood sugar
levels. In addition, alcohol will usually stimulate your appetite and that can
cause you to overeat, which can affect your blood sugar levels as well. Poor
food choices often result from eating while consuming alcohol.
Alcohol itself can have a lot of calories, which can affect
your ability to lose the excess weight that can be a contributing factor for
diabetes. The alcohol you drink can also raise your triglyceride levels, which
impacts your potential for diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes,
alcohol consumption can interfere with the effectiveness of your medications.
Get Help at Hope by the Sea
Do you need help with an addiction to alcohol? At Hope by
the Sea, a drug and alcoholism treatment center, we believe in our patients’
ability to succeed. Our drug and alcohol rehab programs include treatment
programs such as detoxification and residential treatment as well as outpatient
treatment and long-term care.
We provide you with the top clinical staff, a serene
setting, and over fifteen years of experience treating addiction to guide you
through a successful recovery from your alcohol addiction. Please contact Hope by the Sea immediately for assistance. Our team
is following every CDC
protocol for COVID-19 because our clients'
safety is of the utmost importance.