For those who’ve just lately been prescribed or have began taking Ozempic and also you drink alcohol, you could be questioning if combining these is wholesome, advisable, and even protected.
This text will discover what occurs while you drink alcohol whereas taking Ozempic, the potential unwanted side effects, and how one can safely drink alcohol whereas taking Ozempic.
What occurs while you drink alcohol whereas taking Ozempic?
Consuming alcohol whereas taking any prescription remedy could be complicated, so at all times speak along with your physician should you’re not sure of how drugs could react to one thing you’re about to drink.
For those who resolve to drink alcohol whereas taking Ozempic, a number of issues could happen that it is very important pay attention to:
- For those who take Ozempic and also you’re on insulin, you might be extra susceptible to low blood sugars
- Alcohol is understood to have an effect on blood sugar ranges
- Alcohol could impair your judgment
- Alcohol, over time, will increase the danger of hypertension, stroke, liver illness, and coronary heart and kidney illness, that are additionally problems of diabetes
- Alcohol can exacerbate Ozempic unwanted side effects, reminiscent of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and urge for food suppression
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) recommends not more than 1 drink per day for girls and not more than two drinks per day for males.
If you’re or suspect you might be combating alcohol dependancy, contact your physician for therapy choices immediately or name the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration hotline, open 24 hours a day.
Ozempic and alcohol’s impact on blood sugar ranges
It’s necessary to notice that Ozempic and alcohol are each highly effective substances that may trigger hostile unwanted side effects in individuals dwelling with diabetes.
A type of unwanted side effects is low blood sugar. Alcohol is understood to trigger low blood sugar ranges, typically dangerously so, in individuals who take insulin.
Ozempic, whereas not inflicting acute low blood sugar ranges, lowers blood sugars over time.
Combining alcohol and Ozempic (to not point out should you’re additionally on insulin that decrease blood sugar ranges) will trigger blood sugars to fall.
It’s necessary to be aware of low blood sugar signs, which could be harder to detect should you’re ingesting. These embrace:
- Shakiness
- Speedy coronary heart price
- Shallow respiration
- Nervousness
- Weak point
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Headache
- If extreme, unconsciousness
If left untreated, severely low blood sugar can flip right into a diabetic coma, which is life-threatening and requires emergency medical help.
Do you have to drink alcohol whereas taking Ozempic?
For those who don’t at present drink alcohol, there isn’t a motive to start out. There isn’t a “really helpful” quantity of alcohol that somebody ought to drink.
Nevertheless, there isn’t a direct drug interplay between consuming alcohol and utilizing Ozempic. Many individuals who take Ozempic do take pleasure in alcohol.
For those who’re a reasonable drinker and want to take pleasure in a drink often, the truth that you employ Ozempic won’t be dangerous to you.
It is very important solely drink sparsely and to be cautious of low blood sugars.
The way to drink safely when you may have diabetes
There are some extra pointers for ingesting alcohol when you’ve got diabetes, together with:
- By no means drink alcohol whereas your blood sugar is low
- Don’t drink heavy alcohol when you may have plenty of insulin on board (IOB)
- Alternate ingesting alcoholic drinks with water to remain hydrated
- Stick with individuals who know you may have diabetes
- Don’t drink alcohol on an empty abdomen
- At all times have low-blood sugar snacks with you (glucose tabs or juice)
- Take a look at your blood sugar earlier than, throughout, and after ingesting, particularly earlier than you fall asleep
- For those who’re ingesting within the night, have a snack earlier than you go to mattress (one thing with fats and protein will stabilize your blood sugar in a single day)
- Put on a steady glucose monitor (CGM)
- Put on a medical ID bracelet in case of an emergency
- At all times let somebody know the place you’re going and while you count on to be again
Continuously requested questions
It’s by no means suggested to binge drink, particularly whereas taking diabetes drugs that will trigger low blood sugar like Ozempic.
Nevertheless, when sparsely (1 drink per day for girls and not more than 2 drinks per day for males), ingesting alcohol is okay for most individuals who take Ozempic. Discuss to your physician when you’ve got questions or considerations.
In contrast to insulin, Ozempic doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugar ranges, and it doesn’t react to meals or drinks (together with alcohol) the way in which insulin does. What you eat or drink earlier than or after taking Ozempic won’t change its effectiveness.
Nevertheless, by no means drink alcohol on an empty abdomen or throughout a low blood sugar.
Learn extra: Meals to Keep away from Whereas Taking Ozempic
The reply to this query continues to be unsure. Nevertheless, research have proven that rats who’re given glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists, like Ozempic, exhibit much less want for alcohol than rats not given the remedy. Comparable findings have been found in mice and GLP-1 agonists for opioids, nicotine, and cocaine as nicely.
This has but to be studied absolutely in people, however the hyperlink between Ozempic and treating dependancy problems could also be a promising discovering within the coming months and years.
In a single scientific trial, members identified with weight problems who acquired GLP-1 agonist therapy and behavioral cognitive remedy (CBT) drank considerably much less alcohol than those that solely took the placebo together with remedy.
The researchers additionally took scans of the members’ brains once they checked out photos of alcoholic drinks and located that in individuals who have been taking the GLP-1 agonists, the areas of their brains concerned as well as lit as much as a a lot lesser extent than those that weren’t on the remedy.
Anecdotally, physicians are reporting that their sufferers are shedding their style for alcohol nearly fully as soon as beginning Ozempic. If that is your expertise, it isn’t out of the norm.
Detecting your low blood sugars correctly whereas ingesting alcohol is an issue for many individuals with diabetes as a result of low blood sugar and feeling tipsy or drunk could be very comparable sensations.
Ozempic can complicate issues additional, as a result of feeling nauseous, dizzy, weak, and vomiting are unwanted side effects of Ozempic, however may be current should you’re experiencing low blood sugar, or should you’ve simply drank an excessive amount of.
This is the reason it’s essential to by no means drink an excessive amount of, to observe your blood sugars your complete time you’re ingesting, and to at all times carry fast-acting low snacks with you should you’re out ingesting, reminiscent of glucose tablets or juice.
Backside line
For those who’ve just lately began Ozempic, your physician could ask that you simply chorus from ingesting till your physique will get used to the remedy and till your new insulin ranges stabilize (should you’re on insulin), which might take a number of weeks to a month.
Nevertheless, after you’ve been taking Ozempic for a while, ingesting alcohol won’t have a direct drug interplay with this commonly-prescribed diabetes remedy.
The short-term results of ingesting alcohol and taking Ozempic embrace the elevated probability of low blood sugar ranges, so be cautious of that.
The longer-term results of ingesting alcohol embrace kidney and liver failure, and elevated threat of stroke and coronary heart illness, that are additionally problems of diabetes.
Discuss along with your physician when you’ve got questions or considerations about taking Ozempic and ingesting alcohol and search assist should you’re combating alcohol dependancy.
Learn extra: Can Ozempic Assist You Lose Weight?
