ABSTRACT
Alcohol accounts for 4-6% of the average energy intake in most Western countries. Alcohol-induced hypoglycaemia is a well-known and feared complication in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, but little attention has been paid to the impact of alcohol on carbohydrate metabolism in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate in non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects the acute metabolic effects of a moderate amount of alcohol taken with a light meal, conditions chosen to mimic an everyday situation. The patients received 500 ml non-alcoholic beer with an alcohol content (ml/l) of 0 (treatment A) and 54 (treatment B) together with a light meal, implying identity of the contents of ingredients except for alcohol. We found similar serum glucose, insulin, free fatty acid and triacylglycerol responses irrespective of addition of a modern amount of alcohol. In conclusion, a moderate amount of alcohol can be taken with a meal without eliciting hypoglycaemia in non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects.
Subject(s)
Carbohydrate Metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism , Eating/physiology , Ethanol/administration & dosage , Lipid Metabolism , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood , Fatty Acids, Nonesterified/blood , Female , Humans , Insulin/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Random Allocation , Triglycerides/bloodABSTRACT
To ensure an acceptable quality of life for Type 2 diabetic patients, the food recommendations have to be as liberal and individualized as possible. Unfortunately, disagreements exists about the consumption of different types of wine. Diabetic patients are advised by some to restrain their wine intake and to use dry wine containing little carbohydrate, while others are more liberal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dry and sweet wine on the glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes. Twelve diabetic patients consumed a light meal with either 300 ml tap water 300 ml dry white wine, 300 ml sweet white wine with ethanol added or 300 ml dry white wine with glucose added. Similar glucose, insulin, and triglyceride responses were obtained in all four situations. There was a greater suppression of the free fatty acid levels in the three situations with wine as compared with water (p < 0.001). This effect may be caused by an attenuation of the free fatty acid mobilization and esterification of free fatty acids to triglycerides induced by alcohol. Our results indicate that patients with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes can drink moderate amounts of wine with meals without risking acute deterioration of glycaemic control. Whether the wine is dry or sweet has no impact on the glycaemic control.
