Hello everyone. I just started having a couple drinks after getting my blood sugar under control since being diagnosed in September (Type 1). I have only had red wine, which I find I have to eat quite a bit in order for it to not lower me too much. I have figured I need ~15 g of carbs per glass of red wine. I was wondering for beer, (I’m planning on trying Michelob Ultra 2.6 g of carbs) will this raise me or lower me? Since wine lowers me and has probably the same amount of carbs per drink I wonder if beer will have the same effect?
the general consensus is that alcohol pushes BG down. i’m not a heavy drinker but i have one beer each day (it’s my singular food luxuary; usually a good beer like sam adams or dogfish). it really doesn’t affect my numbers. i think the key is moderation (like everything else).
I have found that heavier dark beer will raise BS. Im sure the michelob should be fine, its the pizza with the beer you need to worry about…
I also don’t seem to have a problem with beer. I am a T2 on MDI. It seems to keep my numners stable - not lower, and not higher. My BG will be affected if I drink it with food however. Many people have problems, not immediately after they drink the beer or alcohol, but several hours later, when may people have said that they have gone low. Everyone is different however (YDMV) and you need to find out how beer effects YOUR BG and then plan accordingly.
I’ve given up quite a bit and the last thing that I want to give up is beer. From my experience, beer initially raises my blood sugar, but eventually my blood sugar drops quite a bit. Cocktails will even drop my BS even further. I simply make sure that I check my blood sugar often if I have a few drinks and I snack before I go to bed. Experiment a little bit, check numbers, and make adjustments as needed. You’ll figue out how your body reacts to beer and alcohol.
Every minute of every day, your liver is sitting there dumping blood sugar out into your blood stream. That is why you need a basal insulin, to cover that glucose and control that secretion. Alcohol will keep your liver busy metabolizing the alcohol toxin out of your system and it will slow down that stream of blood sugar from your liver. Depending on you as an individual, the beer involved, the time of day and the effect of aliens, you may rise or fall when drinking alcohol, you just need to be altert and manage things. One good thing to understand is that carb content of beers varies greatly. A simple list of calories and carbs for common beers is http://www.beer100.com/beercalories.htm. I drink dry red wine and I estimate it contains about 5 g carbs per glass, essentially resulting in a net zero effect on my blood sugar. A Michelob Ultra has about the same effect. But I have to really ask you, my glass of wine is a “good” wine, I enjoy it. I like beer and if I had to choose a “good” beer, Michelob Ultra is not even on my list. I’d probably choose to drink a half a good beer.
hahaha. Michelob Ultra is the ONLY beer that I drink because it’s the only one which doesn’t send my BG skyrocketing. I miss Sam Adams like an old college buddy, but I just can’t trust myself to be safe when I’m with him.
T1D here. I drink one or two beers during band practice on Saturdays and my BG trends up about 100 points. I have to take two shots over the course of 4 hours to keep my BG in the normal range. (I’m on MDI, but if I was a pumper, I would have done a square wave bolus) I only drink Mich Ultra.
I used to drink other beers like Sam Adams, Guinness, etc. Even had a few stints with Goldschlagger (oh god…) but I always was sick for two days after w really high BG numbers.
Just be careful. You don’t want to drink the beer, impair your liver with alcohol, and then dose insulin. Because when your liver is impaired and the insulin is working, if you go REALLY low, you won’t be able to bring your BG back up. Your liver and kidneys will be too drunk to help you.
If you’ve got a few really good friends, see if they wouldn’t mind watching you drink beer the first two or three times. Just in case. Check your BG every hour while drinking the first couple of times- to see how it affects you. Everyone is different. Beer makes me rise BG and then CRASH a few hours later.
Drinking two Michelob Ultras (3.2g each) and rising 100 mg/dl is odd. I rise 2-3 mg/dl for each g of carb. I might rise 20 mg/dl. That indicates you rise 15 mg/dl for each g carb, pretty darn sensitive. Is it possible that you have an allergy to something in beer? What happens when you have a glass of dry red wine? That is about the same carb content, but does not contain grains or hops.
Yes, the wine I drink is usually a good cabernet, and I definitely enjoy it…that’s why I haven’t ventured to other alcohols yet…because I don’t think they’re worth it…however, the situation (parties, bars) don’t always call for bringing your own good red wine…(i’m only 22 and my friends are still crazy) so I don’t even drink if I’m out with my friends, unless we are at someones house. So, I wanted to try a beer or two and see how that goes. Thanks a lot for your input though and that website! 
That’s great to know…See I was trying to avoid having to take insulin while drinking which is what I do with wine. I am very sensitive to it and my correction factor is really not very accurate. For some reason I had this idea that beer would automatically raise you. If it turns out that it does, that is a GREAT idea to use the square wave bolus. Thanks!
Thanks everyone…very helpful stuff!