Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol

by Varun
(India)

QUESTION: Hi,


It is common knowledge that alcohol increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Can you please amplify that if a person has developed high blood sugar/diabetes due to prolonged use of alcohol (say around 12 years) then will abstaining from alcohol improve his liver and pancreas so as to get his blood sugar to normal level.

If yes, then how much time will that take?

Thanx in advance.


ANSWER: Hi Varun,

If diabetes is caused by a prolonged use of alcohol (which has damaged the liver, and all the processes of metabolizing alcohol); then, once alcohol (the cause) has been eliminated, one can hope for a solution.

Now, keep in mind that everything depends on how much damages (inflammation) alcohol has caused to the liver and the pancreas; and how reversible these causes are.

If it is the case of a heavy drinker, the damages could be enough to destroy the pancreas irreversibly, and not to let any hope for healing.

If it is not the case of a heavy drinker, the inflammation of pancreas could be reversible and they (pancreas and liver) can be healed completely after a while.

  • Now, you are asking how long does it take for the damages to be reversed?

    Once again, it depends on their severity. The most severer, the more time (or never) to get healed. The less severe ones would require less time.

    However, the most important thing is the determination one should have to quit alcohol and never go back to it. If you succeed in this, you will succeed in beating diabetes and related problems too.

    All the best!

    Dr.Alba

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