You may be wondering if it is safe to drink alcohol as a type 2 diabetic. Alcohol does indeed have a major impact on your blood sugar levels. The amount of this impact is dependent on how much you drink as well as other lifestyle factors.

If you're a type 2 diabetic, follow the tips below regarding drinking alcohol:

1. You should always consult with your doctor before taking any drugs. This is particularly true if you are a diabetic. Alcohol can be a particularly damaging drug when used with other drugs or combined with serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes. The doctor in charge of your diabetes should be consulted about the safety of consuming alcohol in your specific situation.

2. If you do drink alcohol, you need to test your blood glucose levels regularly to make sure they stay within your target range. You should not drink alcohol when your blood glucose levels are out of control.

3. Even for those who are not diabetics, it is unsafe to have more than one or two alcoholic drinks in a day. Remember that the definition of a drink is based on the concentration of alcohol. For instance, hard liquors have much less volume in one drink than such alcoholic beverages as wine or beer.

4. You should never drink alcohol without first eating some food. It may help to eat something with complex carbohydrates and fiber before drinking alcohol.

5. When you do drink alcohol, your blood sugar levels may be masked by the alcohol in your blood. More importantly, you may not be fully mentally aware of your condition. So if you're going to drink alcohol, make sure you bring along a sober friend who knows how to help you with your diabetes.

6. You should avoid those alcoholic drinks that are mixed with sugary drinks. For example, avoid those alcoholic beverages that combine several types of drinks such as wine coolers, sweet wines and fructose mixes. This should be obvious because diabetics should never consume any sweet drinks such as fruit juices and sodas.

7. A pregnant diabetic or a diabetic who may become pregnant should not drink alcohol at all. This should be obvious because even non-diabetic women are advised not to drink while pregnant.

8. When you are suffering complications from your diabetic condition, alcohol will only make matters worse.