The NDSS is administered by Diabetes Australia

Alcohol, drugs, sex and relationships

Having type 1 diabetes shouldn’t get in the way of your social life, but it’s important to understand the impact of alcohol, smoking, and drugs has on your health as well as factors related to sex, relationships, and pregnancy planning.

How does drinking alcohol affect my diabetes?  

Type 1 diabetes shouldn’t stop you going out, having fun and doing the things you enjoy. But if you decide to drink alcohol, it’s important you know how it will affect your diabetes, and what you can do to keep as safe as possible when drinking.

Alcohol is the most common recreational drug used in Australia.

But how much is too much alcohol?

Current guidelines for adults over the age of 18 years recommend you limit your alcohol intake to:

  • no more than 10 standard drinks per week
  • no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day.

What’s a standard drink?

A standard drink has 10 grams (g) of alcohol. Some examples of what a standard drink looks like are:

  • 285ml beer (4.8% alcohol)
  • 100ml wine (13.5% alcohol)
  • 30ml spirits (40% alcohol).

How does alcohol affect a person with type 1 diabetes?

Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of low blood glucose levels (hypoglycaemia or ‘hypo’). This is because your liver is busy processing the alcohol, instead of releasing glucose. This results in lower blood glucose levels, not only while you’re drinking, but also in the hours after you stop drinking.

Talk to diabetes health professional about when to check your blood glucose level when you drink and how to reduce the risk of hypos.

  • Drinking alcohol increases your risk of having a hypo while drinking, and for several hours afterwards.
  • Talk to your diabetes health professional about how to reduce your risk of hypos when drinking alcohol.

What types of alcohol can I drink?

Different types of alcohol can affect your body differently, depending on the amount of alcohol and carbohydrate (carb) in the drink. Alcohol can lower your blood glucose levels. But some alcoholic drinks such as pre-mixers have carbs, and this can raise your blood glucose level while you’re drinking.

It’s easy to overestimate the size of a standard drink, no matter which alcoholic drink you choose. Therefore, it’s a good idea to get to know what a standard drink is for each type of alcohol you drink. You can do this by checking the number of standard drinks on the label of the bottle or can.

Remember the average drinks serving in restaurants and pubs can be bigger than one standard drink.

Learn the carb content of what you are drinking. Websites and apps such as Calorie King can tell you what’s in your drink.

Talking with your diabetes health professional is important. They can help you work out how to best manage your food, insulin and blood glucose levels when you’re drinking.

Remember – Always pace yourself, check your blood glucose levels often, and learn how your body responds to different types of alcohol.

Tips to avoid hypos when drinking alcohol​

Alcohol and hypos

When drinking alcohol, it can be hard to recognise a hypo, as symptoms might be mistaken for being drunk. To reduce the risk of alcohol-related hypos, here are some ‘think before you drink’ tips for a safe night out:

Before you go out

  • Eat a meal with carbs before heading out.  It’s important to avoid drinking on an empty stomach.
  • Don’t drink alone. Go out with others who know about your diabetes and how to help with a hypo.
  • Wear diabetes identification such as a medical alert bracelet. This is important in case you need help to treat a hypo.
  • Have blood glucose monitoring supplies and a hypo kit to take with you 
when you’re out.

While you’re out

  • Check your blood glucose levels frequently.
  • Remember that dancing and walking between venues count as exercise, so have some extra carbs to avoid your blood glucose level dropping too low.
  • Pace yourself. Consider alternating one alcoholic drink with a glass of water. Binge drinking is never a good idea as your liver won’t be able to keep up with the large amounts of alcohol.
  • Never stop taking your insulin. Doing so could result in a very high blood glucose level. This can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which may be life-threatening.

When you get home

Before you you go to bed:

  • Check your blood glucose level. 
  • Drink water to avoid waking up dehydrated the following day.
  • Eat a carb snack before going to bed. Remember your body continues to process alcohol even after you stop drinking.
  • Set your alarm to wake you up a few hours later to check your blood glucose levels.
  • Have a hypo kit within reach during the night.
  • If you have a hypo, make sure to treat it before going to sleep.

Morning after a night out

  • Stick to your normal routine the next day by checking your blood glucose level, taking your insulin and eating well.
  • Even if you don’t feel like it, always have some breakfast if you’ve been drinking the night before. This will help your blood glucose levels and make you feel better.

Hangover symptoms or a hypo? 

  • Some common hangover symptoms (such as headache, feeling sick, sweating and shaking) are similar to the symptoms you get with a hypo – make sure you check your blood glucose levels in the morning too.
  • No matter how awful you feel, if you’re having a hypo, you need to treat it straight away. Don’t ignore it.

What types of alcohol can I drink?

Start by drinking water before you have any alcohol. This way, you won't be as thirsty and won't feel the need to drink as much.

If you want a drink, try choosing a beer or wine with a lower alcohol content.

When you do have an alcoholic drink, take it slow and sip it.

Try alternating your alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks like water or soda water. This will also help you stay hydrated and pace yourself.

Mix your drinks with non-alcoholic mixers. For example, mix beer with diet lemonade to make a shandy or soda water with wine.

Try some of the new non-alcoholic drinks on the market that are popular.

Lastly, it's important to take regular breaks from alcohol. Try having some alcohol-free days each week to give your body a rest.

Find out more with the NDSS fact sheet.

Smoking, vaping and diabetes

Smoking

When you have diabetes, not smoking is one of the best things you can do to protect your health now and in the future. Smoking is bad for everyone, but if you have diabetes, you’re more at risk for damage to your eyes, nerves, kidneys, and lungs. 

You can get help to quit smoking by calling Quitline at 13 78 48. 


Go to quit.org.au for help to make your plan for quitting.

 

Vaping

Vaping may seem like a safer alternative to smoking, but it can be just as harmful. Vapes can contain dangerous chemicals like those found in cleaning products and weed killer. But they often contain nicotine, which is just as addictive as the nicotine in tobacco cigarettes.

Even vapes labelled as “nicotine-free” can still have high levels of nicotine. People who think they are using a nicotine-free vape can quickly become addicted without realising it.

Go to the Cancer Council to find out more about vaping and 
e-cigarettes.

How does taking recreational drugs affect my diabetes?

Recreational drugs (besides alcohol and tobacco) are illegal in Australia.

They can alter your mood, how you behave and your ability to think clearly. Regular drug use can cause health problems as well as addiction. They can distance you from family and friends and cause legal problems that might affect your future.

Currently, there isn’t a lot of research on the effect of illegal drugs on type 1 diabetes. But if you have diabetes and take drugs, you do face extra health risks. Some of these risks can lead to dangerous or even fatal situations. It’s important you know about these risks so you can manage them and stay safe.

If you take drugs and have type 1 diabetes you’re more likely to miss meals, increasing your risk of having a hypo. Or you may forget to take your insulin, increasing your risk of having high blood glucose levels leading to ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is life-threatening and requires emergency medical attention.

Tips for staying safe

It’s important to know what you’re taking before you try any drug. Do some research or talk to your diabetes health professional to understand the effects of the drug.

  • Never take something if you’re unsure what it is.
  • Never take drugs alone. Make sure you have a trusted friend who is sober and knows about the drug you’re taking and how to treat a hypo.
  • Wear your diabetes identification so that people can quickly identify that you have diabetes.
  • Never stop taking your insulin as it can lead to serious health risks such as severe hyperglycaemia and even DKA.

Find out more

Read, listen to, or download our fact sheet:

Go to the Alcohol and drug foundation for more information.

Remember

Your health is important, and taking drugs can be risky and dangerous for everyone. But having type 1 diabetes makes even more risky.

So take care of yourself and stay informed!

Mixing drugs

Mixing drugs, including with alcohol, can be dangerous and make it harder to look after your diabetes.  If you take different types of drugs at the same time you’re more likely to pass out, stop breathing, vomit, overdose, or act dangerously.

This can lead to health risks such as:

  • becoming confused or unconscious from a severe hypo
  • getting DKA from not taking your insulin.

Sex and relationships

As someone with type 1 diabetes, there are some key things to remember about sex, relationships and pregnancy planning.

Sexual health and diabetes

If you are sexually active, it is important to use contraception. This help prevent an unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), both of which can have additional health risks for people with diabetes. 

To find out more:

  • Go to ndss.com.au for more information on sexual health and diabetes.
  • Watch our video or read or download the booklet for more information about contraception for women with diabetes.

Sex and blood glucose levels

Remember, sex is a form of physical activity that can lower your blood glucose levels. It might not be convenient but you may need to have a snack before sex so that you don’t get low and if you can check your levels too, even better. Having some hypo food handy is also good, just in case.

Talking about your diabetes

Wondering when to tell a new partner or date about your diabetes is a common concern. It’s usually better to share this at a time you feel comfortable. Most people have a limited understanding of diabetes but are generally happy to learn. How you present your condition can influence their perception — the more you make diabetes part of your everyday life, the more comfortable others will feel about it.

Planning for pregnancy

If you’re a woman with type 1 diabetes, you can have a healthy baby. But careful planning is essential. If you’re thinking of becoming pregnant now or in the future, it’s important to talk to your diabetes health professionals. They can support you to plan and prepare for a healthy pregnancy and baby and help you access subsidised continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) or flash glucose monitoring (Flash GM) devices for pregnancy planning through the NDSS.

Find out more

  • Go to ndss.com.au for more information about subsidised CGM and Flash GM devices for women with type 1 planning pregnancy.
  • Read, listen to or download our Living well with type 1 diabetes – what to do when you are sick fact sheet.