Diabetes medications and alcohol interaction

Examples: canagliflozin (Invokana), dapagliflozin (Farxiga), dulaglutide (Trulicity), empagliflozin (Jardiance), exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon), glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Diabeta), insulins, linagliptin (Tradjenta), liraglutide (Victoza), pioglitazone (Actos), pramlintide (Symlin), repaglinide (Prandin), saxagliptin (Onglyza), sitagliptin (Januvia)

What happens when you take medicine after alcohol?

Medications and alcohol can react in many ways. For example, medications can increase effect of alcohol. When that happens, you can feel drunk faster. Or you can feel drunk even after drinking less alcohol. Or your hangover can stay longer. Alcohol can also increase blood levels of medications. More medicine in your blood means you can get more side effects. Read more about how alcohol reacts with medications

Can diabetes medications increase or decrease blood levels of alcohol?

We don't know if diabetes medications increase or decrease blood levels of alcohol.

Can alcohol increase or decrease blood levels of diabetes medications?

We don't know if alcohol increases or decreases blood levels of diabetes medications. Discuss alcohol use with your doctor. Your doctor knows your medical history best. Your doctor can make recommendations about safe alcohol use.

Can alcohol react with diabetes medications in other ways? Can alcohol affect diabetes?

Alcohol can react with your diabetes medications in other ways. And alcohol can affect your diabetes. You might not get these reactions but be aware these can happen.

First off, managing your diabetes takes a lot of planning. You need to balance many things: your medications, food, exercise, work, checking your blood sugar, taking care of low blood sugar.

Alcohol can make managing your diabetes difficult. For example, you might forget to take diabetes medication after drinking. Or you might have a hangover next day. Or after drinking, you might not feel like eating (that can cause low blood sugar). All of these problems can be avoided if you stay away from alcohol. Or drink as little as possible.

The number one thing to remember is: Diabetes medications lower your blood sugar. Alcohol can also can lower your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is low, you might feel tired and sleepy. You might have trouble focusing. Be very careful if you want to drive or work on machines. It can be dangerous.

Risk of serious reaction can be higher on days when you did not eat well or when you are tired, dehydrated, had a long day at work, did not get enough sleep (read more about dangerous situations to avoid).

Medications such as glimepiride and glipizide should be taken just before large breakfast (or first main meal such as brunch or lunch). If you skip meals or eat at irregular hours, you have a risk of low blood sugar. After drinking, if you skip breakfast or lunch due to some reason (e.g. not feel like eating), you have a risk of low blood sugar.

Repaglinide is fast acting drug. If you skip meals or eat at irregular hours, you have a risk of low blood sugar. After drinking, if you skip breakfast or lunch due to some reason (e.g. not feel like eating), you have a risk of low blood sugar. Talk to your doctor about your drinking and eating habits. You doctor might ask you to skip the scheduled dose of repaglinide.

Medications such as canagliflozin (Invokana) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga) can cause dehydration. Too much alcohol can also cause dehydration. You have a risk of kidney injury.

Medications such as canagliflozin (Invokana) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga) can lower your blood pressure when you are standing up. Alcohol can also lower your blood pressure. You might feel dizzy and lightheaded.

Medications such as canagliflozin (Invokana) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga) make you pee a lot. Alcohol also makes you pee. You may have trouble holding pee.

Chlorpropamide and tolbutamide reduce metabolism of alcohol. That means your body might not be able to get rid of alcohol. You might feel unwell. Your skin might become red. This is called disulfiram reaction (read more)

Regular drinking hurts your liver. Some diabetes medications can also hurt your liver. If you keep drinking alcohol and keep taking a diabetes med, you might hurt your liver.

Oral diabetes medications (tablets) can irritate your esophagus and stomach. Alcohol can also can irritate your esophagus and stomach. Taking them together can add up. You might feel heartburn and tummy pain. People with heartburn, GERD, stomach acidity, ulcers need to be very careful. Fried and spicy food with alcohol can make heartburn worse.

Special precautions

Did you just start taking diabetes medications? You may have vision problems after starting diabetes medications. These problems go away in few days. Do not drink alcohol till your body adjusts okay to medications.

Frequent questions

Can alcohol make diabetes medications ineffective?

No. Alcohol does not make diabetes medications ineffective.

Can alcohol make diabetes medications toxic?

No. Alcohol does not make diabetes medications toxic.

I want to drink a lot of alcohol. Can I skip my diabetes medication today?

Remember: Skipping your medication does not mean the effect of the medication is gone. Your body gets rid of medications slowly. If you have been regularly taking a medication and if you stop for one day, little bit of medication remains in your system. So even if you don't take your medication today, little bit of medication might still be in your system (or the effect of the medication might still be there). You can get a serious reaction with alcohol. Do not skip your medications and do not drink too much. Read more why skipping medications is a bad idea.

I have been drinking for several months (or years). My doctor just prescribed diabetes medication. What precautions I should take?

Tell your doctor about your drinking. Regular use of alcohol affects many body functions. For example, if you have been drinking for several years, your liver might have become weaker. That means your liver might not be able to metabolize (get rid of) diabetes medications. Your doctor can test your liver. Then your doctor can choose the best diabetes medication for you. Or your doctor might give you a lower dose of diabetes medication.

What American Diabetes Association is saying about alcohol use in diabetics? Read here

What British Diabetic Association is saying about alcohol use in diabetics? Read here

Page last updated: 17-September-2019