Alcohol and diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes is a long-term condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.

The chances of developing diabetes may depend on a mix of your genes and your lifestyle. Drinking heavily increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.¹

To keep all health risks from alcohol low, the UK Chief Medical Officers advise you to drink no more than 14 units a week, make sure you have several drink-free days, and never binge drink.

Type 2 diabetes is usually a manageable condition. But when it’s not well managed, it is associated with serious health complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve damage, and leg amputations.^2,3

Drinking alcohol can contribute to the conditions that cause diabetes

There are three main ways heavy drinking can be a factor in causing diabetes:

1. Regular heavy drinking can reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can trigger type 2 diabetes⁴
2. Diabetes is a common side effect of chronic pancreatitis, which may be caused by heavy drinking^5,6
3. Alcoholic drinks often contain a lot of calories – for instance, one pint of lager is equivalent to a slice of pizza. So, drinking increases your chance of becoming overweight or obese, which raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes^7,8

Is your drinking causing you harm? Find out with our Drinking Check quiz

The difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes:⁹

• Type 1 diabetes develops if the body can’t produce enough insulin, because insulin-producing cells in the pancreas have been destroyed
• Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, and when the body becomes resistant to insulin

Type 2 diabetes often happens when people are overweight and inactive, and may be influenced by genetic factors.¹⁰ In the UK, people of south Asian, African-Caribbean, or black African descent are two to four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, compared with white people.¹¹

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age. But while white people are more at risk over the age of 40, people of south Asian, African-Caribbean, or black African descent are more at risk from the age of 25 and at lower levels of being overweight.¹²

Type 2 diabetes is now far more common in the UK than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.¹³

Find out more about alcohol and sugar

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes

Common symptoms of type 2 diabetes are:¹⁴

• Feeling particularly tired
• Blurred vision
• Feeling more thirsty than usual
• Going to the toilet to urinate more often than usual, especially at night
• Genital itching or frequent episodes of thrush
• Slow healing of cuts and wounds 

But, importantly, many people found to have type 2 diabetes have no symptoms, so it’s important to get checked by asking at your GP surgery.

You can find out more about type 1 and type 2 diabetes on the NHS website. 

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and alcohol

Excessive drinking can be very dangerous for anyone with diabetes – especially if you take insulin as part of your treatment. Alcohol can disrupt your body’s ability to keep blood sugar levels stable. This can result in low blood sugar levels, also known as hypoglycaemia, or a ‘hypo’.¹⁵ Drinking on an empty stomach further increases this risk.¹⁶

Symptoms of hypoglycaemia vary from person to person, but some of the most common include feeling dizzy, hungry, sweaty, or trembling.¹⁷ You might also find it hard to concentrate or notice a change in mood.¹⁸

Low blood sugar should be treated straight away. Find out how to treat hypoglycaemia on the NHS website.

In severe cases, if a hypo isn’t treated, symptoms can include seizures or passing out. It may require hospitalisation and the NHS advises calling 999 for an ambulance to help someone who is having a severe hypo.

I have diabetes, is it still safe to drink alcohol?

If you have diabetes and want to drink alcohol, you should talk to your GP about how to drink safely.

It’s important for everyone, including people with diabetes, to stay within the UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines and not drink more than 14 units a week. Avoiding binge drinking is especially important if you have diabetes, because your body may not cope as well with a large amount of alcohol.

If you have diabetes and are going out to drink alcohol it’s important to bring hypo treatments with you, and to always wear medical ID. It’s also a good idea to make sure that whoever you are with knows you are diabetic and understands how to help you if you do have a hypo.

Further information

There is more information about diabetes on the NHS website.

If you have concerns about your health, are worried you might be diabetic, or want advice relating to a diabetes diagnosis then you should contact your GP surgery.

Support is also available from the Diabetes UK website. They support people with diabetes, funding research, campaigning, and helping people live with the condition. 

Concerned about your drinking?

Drinkchat is a free online service for anyone who is looking for information or advice about their own, or someone else’s drinking. Trained advisors are on hand to give you confidential advice, and you don’t even have to make a phone call.

Alternatively, Drinkline runs a free, confidential helpline. Call 0300 123 1110.

Chat with an advisor