Should Patients with Diabetes Drink Alcohol to Lower Heart Disease Risk?

Study Results and Physician Recommendations Suggest Moderation

BOSTON — July, 1999 — A research article in the July 21 Issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that light to moderate alcohol consumption by people with type 2 diabetes is associated with a reduced risk of death due to coronary heart disease. While this study doesn't give people with diabetes a license to drink freely, clinicians at Joslin Diabetes Center suggest that the study reaffirms and expands on most health care providers' view that patients with diabetes can consume small to moderate amounts of alcohol without risk to their health. In fact, the study results now suggest that in some cases, there may be some benefit to moderate alcohol consumption.

In the study, researchers compared people who never drank alcohol with people who reported drinking light to moderate amounts of alcohol (up to two drinks per day). When the data were analyzed, the results suggest that such alcohol consumption might lower risk of death from coronary heart disease by as much as 80 percent.

"Clearly, patients who cannot limit themselves to light to moderate drinking shouldn't be encouraged to drink," says Karen Chalmers, RD, C.A., Director of nutrition services at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. "Our long-standing view has been that patients can consume alcohol on an occasional or moderate basis. Alcohol is not recommended for pregnant women, for example, or those with a history of alcohol abuse. And no one should drink and drive.

"Every person's situation is different. Before deciding to add an occasional drink to your meal plan, discuss it with your healthcare team," says Chalmers. To see what Joslin's guidelines are for moderate alcohol consumption for type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients, click here.