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The mystery behind one of the most well-known clinical problems faced by diabetes sufferers has been disclosed by scientists.

Researchers at leading Swedish medical university the Karolinska Institute concluded that drinking alcohol can lead to exaggerated insulin secretion, resulting in severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Described in the latest issue of Endocrinology, the mechanism explains how alcohol ingestion may harm the human brain by decreasing blood glucose concentration to inappropriately low levels.

Lead investigator Ake Sjoholm pointed out that the discovery may explain the hypoglycemic properties of alcohol in diabetic patients or in alcoholics with liver failure.

"Alcohol intake might provoke sustained hypoglycemia in type-two diabetes patients being treated with hypoglycemic sulfonylureas because many of these drugs have a long biological half-life," the researcher remarked.

"Furthermore, many alcoholics are malnourished and/or have liver cirrhosis and might therefore be unable to mount a gluconeogenetic response to hypoglycemia," he added.

Hypoglycemia induced by alcohol ingestion is a familiar clinical problem for people with diabetes.

Meanwhile, research into the obesity associated with diabetes has found that a hormone released in response to food may be capable of promoting weight loss and improving insulin resistance.

The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with diabetes

This entry was posted on Monday, January 7th, 2008 at 3:04 pm and is filed under Alcohol and Drug Addiction, Diabetes, Obesity.