This information is for young people with type 1 diabetes using a hybrid closed loop system (HCL). If you are using multiple daily injections (MDI) or a stand alone insulin pump then please see ‘Drinking alcohol safely with type 1 diabetes’.
People with diabetes can drink alcohol but it is important to know how alcoholic drinks affect your glucose levels. This information explains the things to consider to help keep you safe.
Think about what you might have to drink and when you might be drinking. It could be a drink with a meal, a few drinks in the pub, a night out clubbing. Consider if you have been active; playing sports before, dancing or walking home.
Safe and sensible drinking is important whether you have diabetes or not. Both men and women are advised to not drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. Here is a table to show how many alcohol units are in common drinks:
| Drinks | Units |
|---|---|
| 175ml wine (13%) | 2.3 |
| 25ml spirit (single measure) | 1 |
| 1 pint Beer (4%) | 2.3 |
| 125ml sparkling wine | 1.5 |
| 1 pint cider (4.5%) | 2.6 |
Alcohol (all types) can cause hypos for up to 12-24 hours after drinking. This usually means overnight and the following morning. Your liver is busy breaking down the alcohol and cannot make glucose, increasing the risk of hypos after drinking. The more alcohol you have the longer the effect can last. The glucagon injection is also less effective in treating a serious hypo after drinking alcohol. If you have been active eg dancing or walking home, this will increase the risk of hypos.
Alcohol can make you sleep very deeply and you may not wake up if you have a hypo.
Know the amount of carbohydrate in different alcoholic drinks. Which drinks do you choose? If you are going to mix spirits with soft drinks then sugar-free ones are better. You can use the Carbs & Cals book or app to find the carbohydrate content of alcoholic drinks. Carbohydrate containing drinks can make your glucose levels high.
| Carbohydrate containing drinks | Non-carbohydrate containing drinks |
|---|---|
|
Lagers, ales and stouts Ciders and fruit ciders Alcopops Non diet mixers including fruit juice Irish Cream Sweet wines |
Spirits Wine – red and white Diet (sugar free) mixers |
Make sure someone you are with knows that you have diabetes. They should know that signs of being drunk are similar to hypo symptoms. They can get help for you and/or call an ambulance if you collapse or vomit. Get to know the people on the door or behind the bar and let them know as well. Parents or friends can follow you glucose sensor if you have one.
Carry some diabetes ID. This can include a wrist band and medical ID on your phone including emergency contact details.
Turn on CGM alarms and ask a friend to follow. Sensors have alarms that can wake you if you are going low. You can set your CGM low alert at a higher glucose level to alert you earlier if your glucose is dropping.
Some people don’t wake up with the sensor alarm so you can ask a friend or family
to follow your sensor; they can respond to the alarms and wake you if needed.
HCL systems are designed to help keep your glucose levels between 3.9-10mmol/L, different systems will have different targets. If your glucose is dropping or is predicted to drop then the HCL will reduce or stop insulin delivery. If your glucose is rising or is predicted to rise, the HCL will increase insulin delivery. Remember it does not know you have been drinking alcohol.
Avoid large carbohydrate meals, snacks or drinks without insulin. The rise in glucose will trigger the system to deliver more insulin. Some young people enter fewer carbs into the pump to deliver slightly less insulin before, during and after drinking. You will need to learn what works best for you.
Increase the glucose target. If the system is aiming for a higher target it will deliver less insulin and you will have less insulin on board, reducing hypo risk. If you are eating before drinking, set the higher target before you eat.
Here are some ideas for each of the systems. You need to choose which option works
best for you:
| CamAPS FX | Medtronic 780G with SmartGuard | Omnipod 5 with SmartAdjust | Tandem TSlim with Control IQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Increase your personal glucose target |
Set the temp target. The system will aim for 8.3mmol/L and stop autocorrections |
Increase the glucose target. You can either change the target in the bolus calculator or turn on Activity feature until the next morning |
Turn on Exercise activity and keep it on until the next morning. This means the system aims for higher glucose range |
| Set 'Ease off' before drinking and leave on until the next morning. This increases your glucose target and reduces insulin delivery | Set up a different personal profile that is 30-50% less basal and 30-50% weaker corrections |
Always have hypo treatment with you and check that you also have hypo treatment by the bed before you go to sleep.
Get someone to check on you while you are asleep. You may have a hypo but not realise. Ask them to check your blood or sensor glucose level at least once in the middle of the night and in the morning if you are sleeping in late.
The important thing is to stay safe and know how different types of alcohol affect you. The biggest risk is overnight hypoglycaemia. It is better to be a bit high than risk a hypo while you are asleep. Learn from experience in a safe place.
Diabetes UK Type 1 and diabetes: Type 1 diabetes and drinking | Diabetes UK
JDRF toolkit: Alcohol: University Toolkit: Alcohol | JDRF
Emergency mobile: 07940 476811
Email: uclh.
Further information and fact sheets can be found on our Children and Young People’s Diabetes web page at www.
Page last updated: 17 December 2024
Review due: 01 December 2026