Inside your body

Your liver is responsible for breaking down alcohol and for releasing its glucose stores into the blood when needed. It can’t do both of these things at the same time, so when it is breaking down alcohol, it will stop releasing glucose.

This can cause your blood glucose levels to drop, putting you at risk of a hypo. This also explains why people often crave starchy or sweet food after they drink alcohol.

The NHS One You website is a great resource to find out more about alcohol, how it affects your body and tips on how to reduce the amount you drink.