Metformin & Alcohol: Can You Drink While Taking Metformin?

Metformin is likely one of the hottest prescribed drugs on the earth, with greater than 92 million lively prescriptions in the US alone as of 2020. 

It’s used to assist individuals with sort 2 diabetes and prediabetes maintain their blood sugar ranges in goal vary, and it additionally helps handle each insulin resistance and weight. 

Understandably, you could have many questions on incorporating the drugs into your each day life, like what it’s best to eat and keep away from whereas taking the drug, and whether or not you possibly can (and may) drink alcohol whereas on metformin. 

This text will examine all you might want to find out about ingesting alcohol whereas taking metformin. 

What’s metformin?

Metformin is commonly offered beneath the model names Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet, and Riomet ER.

The medication lowers blood sugar ranges by lowering the manufacturing of glucose by the liver, decreasing the quantity of sugar absorbed by the intestines, and rising insulin sensitivity, permitting particular person cells within the physique to devour extra sugar and use it extra effectively. 

It may be taken a couple of times per day, most frequently with dinner. It’s an especially secure drug that’s often well-tolerated with minimal uncomfortable side effects. 

What can occur in case you drink alcohol whereas taking metformin? 

There are a selection of uncomfortable side effects that may consequence from ingesting alcohol whereas on metformin.

Low blood sugar 

Ingesting alcohol may cause blood sugar ranges to drop quick in individuals who have diabetes, and taking metformin also can decrease blood sugar, so combining the 2 will increase your threat of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). 

This may be significantly harmful as a result of the signs of intoxication are just like the signs of low blood sugar, so you might want to watch out when ingesting and maintain a detailed eye in your blood sugars whereas doing so. 

Signs of low blood sugar embody:

• Shakiness
• Drowsiness 
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Headache 

It’s necessary to notice that ingesting may cause low blood sugar ranges for as much as 24 hours afterward, so further vigilance is required in case you determine to drink alcohol and have diabetes. 

Lactic acidosis 

Taking metformin and ingesting alcohol also can enhance the danger of a uncommon however severe complication known as lactic acidosis, which requires speedy medical consideration. 

Lactic acidosis occurs when the physique produces extra lactic acid than it may well clear. This may occasionally occur both as a result of there’s not sufficient oxygen being delivered all through the physique or as a result of the physique is having problem utilizing the oxygen correctly.

Within the case of metformin and alcohol, this may increasingly consequence as a result of metformin causes the physique to create extra lactic acid, whereas alcohol prevents the physique from eliminating lactic acid as rapidly as traditional. 

Signs of lactic acidosis embody:

• Abdomen ache or discomfort
• Nausea and vomiting
• Decreased urge for food
• Persistent diarrhea
• Problem respiration, shallow respiration, or hyperventilation
• Speedy coronary heart price 
• Muscle ache and cramps
• Lethargy, fatigue, or weak point
• Sleepiness 
• Altered psychological standing, together with drowsiness, confusion, or lack of consciousness

Not treating lactic acidosis rapidly can result in injury to the blood vessels, coronary heart, lungs, and kidneys (which may be further harmful for somebody residing with diabetes). 

If the situation shouldn’t be handled in any respect, it can result in organ failure and demise. 

Different uncomfortable side effects of metformin 

Many of the uncomfortable side effects individuals expertise whereas taking metformin are gentle and embody: 

• Nausea
• Stomachache or abdomen cramps
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Lack of urge for food
• Weight reduction 
• Low blood sugar
• Metallic style within the mouth
• Weight acquire (uncommon)

These uncomfortable side effects should not associated to ingesting alcohol and might occur to anybody.

You’ll be able to be taught extra in regards to the potential uncomfortable side effects of metformin in our information: Metformin Aspect Results: What You Have to Know.

Must you drink alcohol in any respect in case you’re on metformin? 

Alcohol can have damaging interactions with many various medication and drugs, so it’s best to at all times speak together with your physician earlier than ingesting alcohol, particularly in case you’ve just lately began a brand new treatment. 

Observe all directions on any prescribed drugs you take.

Due to the dangers concerned, you may additionally wish to take into account avoiding alcohol if you’re taking metformin.

With these suggestions in thoughts, many individuals do drink alcohol whereas taking metformin. As with something, moderation is essential. 

Normal tips are the next: For ladies, a reasonable quantity of alcohol isn’t any a couple of drink per day, and for males, a reasonable quantity is not more than two drinks per day. 

In line with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, a drink is taken into account to be 12 ounces (oz) of standard beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of 80-proof distilled spirits.

Bear in mind that some persons are extra prone to be delicate to the consequences of alcohol, which might probably put them at better threat when combining alcohol and metformin. These embody girls, adults ages 65 and older, and folks with kidney or liver issues.

How lengthy after taking metformin are you able to drink alcohol?

There isn’t any particular rule for the way lengthy it’s best to wait to drink alcohol after taking metformin, so remember to talk about this together with your physician. They are going to take into account a wide range of elements, similar to different well being circumstances you could have, further drugs you could be taking, and your private tolerance to alcohol.

What’s the greatest alcohol to drink on metformin?

It’s additionally value noting that no sort of alcohol is taken into account “greatest” to devour whereas taking metformin. The consequences of ingesting can fluctuate primarily based on a wide range of elements, together with different well being circumstances you could have, different medicines you take, and the way a lot alcohol you could have consumed. 

For blood sugar, nevertheless, avoiding blended drinks, which might have important quantities of sugar, will help maintain blood sugar ranges in goal vary.

Find out how to make ingesting safer when you have diabetes 

There are some further tips for ingesting alcohol when you have diabetes to be sure you’re imbibing extra safely: 

• Don’t drink alcohol whereas your blood sugar is low.
• Don’t drink alcohol on an empty abdomen. (Consuming a snack with fats and protein earlier than ingesting will help stabilize blood sugar ranges.)
• Tempo your ingesting with water so you don’t develop into dehydrated.
• All the time carry therapies for low blood sugar with you (similar to glucose tabs, laborious candies, juice, or common [not diet] soda).
• Have a snack after ingesting.
• Examine your blood sugar earlier than, throughout, and after ingesting, and particularly earlier than you fall asleep.
• Put on a steady glucose monitor (CGM) to trace your blood sugars higher whereas ingesting, and make sure the low alarms are turned on.
• Make sure the individuals you might be with know you could have diabetes and know tips on how to deal with low blood sugar (and even administer emergency glucagon therapy, if want be).
• Put on a medical ID bracelet in case of an emergency. 
• All the time let somebody know the place you’re going and once you count on to be again, and supply a approach to attain you.
• All the time maintain your cellular phone close by with the ringer on. 

Ultimate ideas

The interplay between metformin and alcohol is sophisticated and requires cautious consideration. For individuals managing diabetes with metformin, reasonable alcohol consumption — outlined as as much as one drink per day for ladies and two for males — could also be acceptable. 

Nonetheless, the choice to imbibe must also be approached with cautious consideration and an consciousness of your individual physique’s responses. 

The mix of metformin and alcohol considerably raises the danger of low blood sugar and lactic acidosis, circumstances that may be severe and probably life-threatening. And signs of those circumstances can overlap with these of intoxication, making it much more necessary to have the ability to distinguish between them.

Being vigilant in monitoring blood sugar ranges if ingesting is essential, together with taking different precautions similar to not ingesting on an empty abdomen, pacing your self with water, and having therapies readily available for low blood sugar.

In the end, the choice to devour alcohol or not whereas on metformin needs to be made together with your healthcare crew.