Can I drink alcohol if I have diabetes?

When you're diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor will likely put you on a strict diet. But can you still drink alcohol? Here's some expert advice to help answer that difficult question.

Most experts agree that the answer is a qualified "yes." Alcohol may even have some benefits in terms of preventing some of the cardiovascular problems associated with diabetes.

• A Harvard University study published several years ago found that women who have a few alcoholic drinks over the course of a week stand an almost 15 percent lower chance of developing high blood pressure than non-drinking women.
• Other studies involving both men and women have shown that alcohol also raises HDL ("good") cholesterol and thins the blood slightly, protecting against the formation of clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

While this is good news if you have diabetes, there are a number of caveats.

• First, the line between healthy and unhealthy drinking appears to be very thin. In that same Harvard study, women who had more than about 1 1/2 drinks a day had a 30 percent higher risk of elevated blood pressure than non-drinkers did. More importantly, alcohol's effects on the body are of particular significance when you suffer from diabetes. The main threat is hypoglycemia, which means dangerously low blood sugar levels.
• Alcohol is processed in the liver, which also stores and releases glucose. Wine, beer and spirits can hinder the liver's ability to release glucose, which can lead to hypoglycemia as much as a day after you drink. Moreover, symptoms of hypoglycemia can be similar to those of inebriation, making the danger much harder to spot.
• Another consideration is that alcoholic drinks have seven calories per gram — almost as much as fat — but provide no nutrition, making them a poor choice if you're trying to lose weight. And if you're taking medication, alcohol may be out of the question.

Should you drink? Talk it over with your doctor or dietitian. If they do say "yes," you'll likely be limited to one drink a day.