Type 1 vs Type 2 Diabetes: Can Alcohol Lower Blood Sugar
by Dixon Mnyika
(Kenya)
QUESTION:
By Dixon Mnyika, Kenya
Please help me understand the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. I am doing well practising ways of controlling my blood sugar. Can alcohol help control blood sugar? My readings are usually between 6.5 and 8.5. I am 42 years old, 1.8 metres tall and weigh 82 kg. My blood sugar was written as “1538.5,” but after treatment it came down to 6.5. Please advise.
Quick Answer
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces very little or no insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body resists insulin and may gradually produce too little. Blood sugar levels alone cannot identify the type. Alcohol does not treat diabetes and should never be used to lower glucose because it can cause unpredictable changes and delayed hypoglycemia.
Answer by Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc
Hello Dixon,
Thank you for your question. It is encouraging that you are monitoring your glucose and working to control it.
Type 1 Versus Type 2 Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. A person with type 1 diabetes needs insulin every day.
In type 2 diabetes, the body does not respond properly to insulin. The pancreas may initially produce normal or high amounts, but insulin production can decline over time. Treatment may include healthy eating, physical activity, tablets, injectable medicines or insulin treatment.
The diabetes type cannot be determined only from your age, weight or highest glucose reading. Adults can develop type 1 diabetes, while people with type 2 diabetes can also have extremely high glucose. Your doctor may use your medical history, symptoms, ketones, C-peptide and diabetes-antibody tests. Read more about the main types of diabetes mellitus.
What Do Readings of 6.5–8.5 Mean?
If these are glucose readings in mmol/L, 6.5–8.5 mmol/L is approximately 117–153 mg/dL. Whether this is within your target depends on when you tested.
- A fasting or before-meal result of 8.5 mmol/L may be above target.
- An after-meal result of 8.5 mmol/L may be acceptable for some adults.
- A reading of 6.5 mmol/L may be reasonable, but one result does not show overall control.
Compare readings taken at the same time of day and discuss your personal targets with your doctor. Our guide to blood sugar levels by time of day explains why timing matters. An HbA1c test also helps estimate average glucose over the previous two to three months.
Important: The number “1538.5” is unclear. If you meant a range of 15–38.5 mmol/L, these levels are dangerously high. A glucose of 38.5 mmol/L is about 693 mg/dL and requires urgent medical evaluation.
Can Alcohol Lower Blood Sugar?
Alcohol should not be used to control diabetes. Some alcoholic drinks contain carbohydrates and can first raise glucose. Later, alcohol may prevent the liver from releasing stored glucose, causing blood sugar to fall several hours after drinking.
The risk is greater if you use insulin or sulfonylureas such as glibenclamide, gliclazide or glipizide, especially when drinking without food. Exercise, liver disease, kidney disease and a history of hypoglycemia can increase the danger.
Alcohol intoxication may also look like low blood sugar. Confusion, sleepiness, poor coordination and slurred speech should not automatically be blamed on alcohol. Review our information about alcohol and blood sugar and ask your doctor whether any alcohol is safe with your medication.
What You Should Do
- Record whether each reading was fasting, before a meal or after a meal.
- Take your medication exactly as prescribed.
- Ask your doctor to confirm your diabetes type and personal glucose targets.
- Ask for an HbA1c test if it has not been checked recently.
- Do not use alcohol to lower your glucose.
Your calculated BMI is about 25.3 kg/m², but BMI cannot determine your diabetes type.
Seek urgent medical care
Get immediate help if very high glucose occurs with vomiting, abdominal pain, severe dehydration, confusion, unusual drowsiness, deep or rapid breathing, fruity-smelling breath, inability to drink fluids or moderate to high ketones.
Related Questions
Related Resources
Written by: Dr. Albana Greca, MD, MMedSc
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ruden Cakoni, MD, Endocrinologist
Last reviewed: August 2026
This educational answer does not replace diagnosis or individualized medical care.
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