Alcohol and Diabetes Don’t Always Mix Well, Here's What Diabetics Should Know Before Drinking

Alcohol consumption is rising across the country. It’s not just young partygoers or occasional weekend drinkers anymore. People from all walks of life (many of them already dealing with health issues such as diabetes) continue to drink, often convinced that a peg here or there won’t really matter. But according to medical experts, the relationship between alcohol and diabetes is… complicated.

Sugar Goes Up… And Then Suddenly Down

Diabetes specialist Dr. Gaurav Sachdeva explains that alcohol doesn’t behave in a straightforward way inside the body. It doesn’t just raise blood sugar. It can raise it and then drop it, sometimes quite dramatically. “Alcohol contains calories and carbohydrates. These can push blood sugar levels up fairly quickly. But when the alcohol begins to wear off, blood sugar can suddenly fall. This drop is known as hypoglycemia, and it can be dangerous, especially for people who already have diabetes,” he tells ETV Bharat.

Things get even more complicated when alcohol is consumed on an empty stomach. Dr. Sachdeva notes that drinking without eating first can increase the risk of hypoglycemia. The liver becomes busy processing alcohol instead of maintaining stable glucose levels in the blood. The result? Blood sugar can fall faster than expected. For diabetics, that drop can sometimes be severe enough to cause dizziness, confusion, or even fainting.

Two Types of Diabetes

To understand the bigger picture, it helps to remember that diabetes itself isn’t just one condition.

There are two main types. Type 1 diabetes is usually genetic. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is more closely linked to lifestyle. Diet, exercise, body weight, and daily habits all play significant roles. This is the form that has been increasing rapidly in India in recent years. Unfortunately, alcohol (especially when consumed regularly) doesn’t exactly help matters.

Country-made Or Branded?

At this point, the conversation inevitably turns to the question: Is country-made liquor (called desi daru), worse than so-called English liquor? The answer, according to experts, is yes. The problem with country liquor isn’t just alcohol itself. It’s the lack of regulation. With commercially produced spirits (whisky, wine, or beer) the alcohol content is clearly defined. Labels specify the percentage of alcohol, ingredients are regulated, and quality standards exist.

Country liquor is a different story. It is often unrefined, and the exact alcohol content may not be clearly known. Sometimes other substances are mixed in the production process. Tragically, there have been multiple incidents across India where contaminated country liquor has caused serious illness or even death. Dr. Sachdeva puts it bluntly: alcohol is alcohol, but the uncertainty around country liquor makes it far more dangerous.

Is Any Alcohol Safe?

This is usually the moment when people lean forward and ask the question they really want answered: Can diabetics drink at all? Doctors don’t always say an absolute no but they do advise strict moderation.

According to Dr. Sachdeva’s recommendations:

1. Men should limit alcohol to about two pegs of 30 ml, no more than three times a week.
2. Women should limit it to one peg of around 30-45 ml, also no more than three times a week.
3. Even then, diabetics should monitor their blood sugar levels carefully.
4. Ideally, avoid drinking on an empty stomach.

The Bigger Numbers

When discussing diabetes in India, the numbers themselves are enough to make anyone pause before ordering another drink. According to estimates from the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), around 101 million Indians are living with diabetes. That is roughly one in nine people. Another 136 million people are pre-diabetic, meaning their blood sugar levels are already higher than normal. The country is essentially sitting on the edge of a massive health challenge. Alcohol consumption plays a major role in how that challenge unfolds.

Heart specialist Dr. Swati Khurana notes that alcohol consumption itself has become increasingly fashionable. It’s no longer limited to social events or celebrations. For many people, drinking has simply become routine. In some regions, consumption levels are significantly higher than the national average.

Take Punjab, for example. The average annual alcohol consumption there is estimated to be around eight litres per person, compared with roughly 4.5 litres in many other states. The financial numbers tell the story too. In the 2024-25 financial year, the state’s excise department collected around ₹10,000 crore in revenue from alcohol sales.

Alcohol and Weight Gain

Alcohol has another unfortunate habit that diabetics rarely appreciate. It can lead to weight gain.

Calories from alcohol are often described as “empty calories”. Regular drinking can gradually increase body weight, which in turn makes it harder for the body to regulate insulin. Insulin, of course, is produced by the pancreas: the very organ responsible for controlling blood sugar. So excessive alcohol can indirectly interfere with the pancreas’ ability to do its job properly.

There is a persistent myth that alcohol somehow slips past the rules of health. That a drink is just a drink but the reality is less romantic. Alcohol affects metabolism, blood sugar, body weight, and the organs that regulate them. For diabetics, this means every drink carries consequences.

(This article is part of ETV Bharat's national campaign against diabetes)

References:

• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00592-010-0200-x
• https://www.iomcworld.com/open-access/the-impact-of-alcohol-consumption-on-diabetes-management-and-outcomes-a-comprehensive-analysis.pdf

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4. 'India Urgently Needs A Strong National Diabetes Prevention Program': Top Diabetologist Dr. Sanjay Reddy
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