Alcohol’s Impact on Energy Balance

When you consume alcohol, it adds extra calories to your diet that your body often stores as fat. One thing people often forget is that a pint of lager is absolutely loaded with carbs - so is wine. Straight alcohol itself is also calorific and provides no benefit - but you’ll still store that excess energy, as fat, somewhere.

• Empty calories: Alcohol provides calories without any nutritional value, making it harder to manage a healthy weight.
• Hunger increase: Drinking can trigger hunger, causing you to eat more, often leading to unhealthy snacking.
• Less energy burned: Because alcohol slows fat burning, your body doesn’t use as much energy from food, which can increase fat storage.

For those with T1D, managing weight and energy levels is crucial to maintaining insulin sensitivity and overall health.

Real-Life Example: Impact on a Night Out

Let’s consider a scenario where someone with T1D goes out for a night with friends. They enjoy a couple of drinks, maybe some snacks, and then notice the following effects:

 

• Drinks high in sugar or mixed with sodas cause an immediate rise in blood sugar, followed by a drop later.
• The liver focuses on alcohol, putting fat metabolism on hold, which means the snacks they consumed aren’t burned off efficiently.
• Feeling hungrier due to alcohol leads to eating more snacks, increasing their calorie intake for the evening.
• Delayed hypoglycaemia kicks in whilst they’re asleep after the night, and they wake up during a huge low-sugar event (this happens so often). 

This example shows how easily alcohol can disrupt both blood sugar levels and fat metabolism, highlighting the importance of understanding these processes.

If you're looking for tips on enjoying a night out while keeping your blood sugar in check, check out our guide: Navigating a Night Out with Alcohol: A Guide for T1Ds.

Delayed Drops in Blood Glucose After Drinking Alcohol

Why Does Blood Sugar Drop Later?

One of the most significant effects of alcohol on people with T1D is its ability to cause delayed hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Here’s why this happens:

• Liver’s focus on alcohol: When you drink, your liver focuses on breaking down alcohol instead of releasing glucose into your blood.
• Blood sugar can drop hours later: This delayed effect can occur up to 12 hours after drinking, catching many people off guard.
• Increased risk while sleeping: If you drink late in the evening, the chance of a sudden drop in blood sugar while you sleep is much higher.

Knowing about these delayed effects helps you take steps to prevent unexpected blood sugar lows.

Managing Blood Sugar Drops After Drinking

To keep your blood sugar stable after drinking, try these practical steps:

1. Check your blood sugar frequently: Especially in the hours after drinking, to see if your BG levels are changing.
2. Have a snack before bed: Eating something with carbs before sleeping can help keep your blood sugar from dropping overnight.
3. Wear a CGM device: A Continuous Glucose Monitor can track your BG and alert you if it goes too low, even while you’re asleep.
4. Avoid going to bed immediately after drinking: Wait at least a few hours and check your levels before sleeping.
5. Stay aware of symptoms: Signs of low blood sugar like dizziness, sweating, or confusion might be mistaken for drunkenness

 

These strategies can help you manage delayed blood sugar drops effectively, keeping you safe long after you’ve finished your last drink.

If you’re struggling with alcohol and T1D, we understand how hard it can be. Explore our blog on Breaking Free from Alcohol and T1D Struggles for advice and support.

How you can make it all easier

Choosing Low-Sugar Alcohol Options

Socialising is important for our mental wellbeing, and if someone wants to do that with alcohol, then that’s fine - we’re all human and free to make our own choices. But, you can also choose to make it easier for yourself.

When it comes to choosing alcohol, go for drinks that won’t cause your blood sugar to spike too quickly. Here are some good choices for people with T1D:

• Dry wines: Dry red or white wines have less sugar, making them a safer choice.
• Clear spirits: Vodka, gin, rum, and tequila are carb-free and can be mixed with diet soda or sparkling water. They will still contribute to a high later on though, as the alcohol is converted into fat.
• Light beers: These have fewer carbs than regular beers, which helps manage blood sugar better - smaller spikes.

These low-sugar drinks help keep your blood sugar stable while you enjoy your night out.

 Want to make smarter choices when drinking? Check out our curated list of Top 10 Alcoholic Drinks for T1Ds to find drinks that fit your diabetes management goals.

Drinking Safely with Type 1 Diabetes

Staying safe while drinking with T1D is about more than just choosing the right drinks. Here are key tips to consider:

• Always eat a balanced meal before drinking: This slows down alcohol absorption and helps keep your blood sugar stable.
• Limit alcohol intake: Set a limit on how many drinks you’ll have to avoid any unexpected BG drops.
• Monitor blood sugar for 12-24 hours: Keep an eye on your levels even after you’ve stopped drinking to catch any delayed lows.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking water in between alcoholic beverages can help keep your blood sugar more balanced.
• Tell someone you’re with: Make sure your friends know you have diabetes, in case you need help managing your blood sugar.

These practices can help you enjoy alcohol more safely, without putting your health at risk.

 

 

How Our CGM Patches Can Help

Keeping Your CGM Device Secure

When you’re out and about or in a busy club with friends, your CGM and infusion sites are still at risk of being snagged or knocked off. Locking them down with a patch protects you against these sudden, violent pulling forces, and keeps your tech secure. 

• This means the alarms you rely on and the cannula you need stay on, and you stay safe.

What you should know about our patches:

• Lasts up to 21+ days: Our patches stay secure for weeks, so you don’t have to worry about your CGM falling off during a night out.
• Hypoallergenic materials: Made from skin-friendly materials that won’t cause irritation, even if you wear them for long periods.
• Waterproof and durable: Our patches are designed to handle all activities, whether you’re dancing at a party or caught in the rain.
• 350+ designs to choose from: You can find a style that matches your personality while keeping your CGM in place.
• Works with all major CGM devices: Compatible with Medtronic, Libre, Dexcom, Omnipod, and other brands. We support the widest range of devices.

This makes our CGM patches the perfect solution for managing blood sugar changes caused by alcohol, ensuring that your device stays securely in place.

Reducing the Stress of Delayed Blood Sugar Drops

One of the biggest challenges when drinking with T1D is dealing with delayed hypoglycemia. Our CGM patches provide peace of mind by:

• Ensuring your CGM stays on securely: This means you’ll always receive real-time alerts about your blood sugar levels.
• Reducing anxiety: Knowing your CGM is safe and won’t come loose can reduce the stress of managing your diabetes in social settings.
• Preventing expensive replacements: With our patches, you won’t have to worry about losing or damaging your CGM device.

Using our CGM patches, you can focus on enjoying your evening without constantly worrying about your blood sugar levels.

Final Thoughts: Managing T1D and Alcohol with Confidence

Managing alcohol consumption with type one diabetes is about understanding its effects on your body and taking steps to stay safe. We’ve talked about how alcohol can slow fat conversion and lead to delayed blood sugar drops, making diabetes management more challenging. But with the right knowledge and tools, you can manage these effects more effectively.

Our CGM patches offer a practical solution to these challenges. By keeping your CGM device secure, they allow you to monitor your blood sugar levels without interruption. This helps you catch any delayed drops in blood sugar, even hours after you’ve stopped drinking. Using our CGM patches not only helps prevent device loss but also gives you the confidence to enjoy social events without constantly worrying about your diabetes.

Take control of your diabetes journey today with our CGM patches. They make managing your T1D easier, safer, and stress-free, so you can live your best life with peace of mind.