Drinking wine will lower your glucose level — but not immediately. It takes about eight hours to see a lower blood sugar number from drinking dry white wine, according to a 2007 study in "Diabetes Care." All types of wine have 7 calories per gram and are easily converted to sugar in your body — dry white wine is no exception. For people with diabetes, drinking wine may cause hypoglycemia — very low glucose levels that can cause hunger, headache, fatigue, shakiness and mood swings. Drink alcohol in moderation and talk to your doctor about including wine in your diabetes management plan.

Glucose

Your body can use many things for fuel, but it’s preferred energy source is glucose. Glucose is most easily made from carbohydrates in the food you eat — especially sugar, because your body can digest simple carbs very quickly. Complex carbs such as fiber slow digestion and have less impact on blood sugar levels. When your body produces glucose, your pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that helps transport glucose into your cells for use. Glucose not needed immediately is then taken to your liver; some glucose is stored in your liver and some is converted into triglycerides — a type of fat — then moved into your fat cells.

Your Liver and Low Blood Sugar

When your body needs more energy, you may start to feel hungry or tired. Hormones signal your need for glucose, and your liver releases stored glucose into your bloodstream. This raises blood sugar until you eat again to provide fresh glucose. If your liver can’t release stored glucose, blood sugar may drop further, causing hypoglycemia — low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia can happen suddenly but usually does not require medical attention. Simply eating easily digested carbohydrates should raise blood sugar levels within 15 minutes, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

Alcohol and Your Liver

Your liver is an organ of elimination — a filter that helps remove toxins and unnecessary substances from your body. Alcohol is one of those substances. When you drink white wine, your liver tries to clear the alcohol from your body as quickly as possible, and stops its other functions, including releasing glucose. Your liver will not release glucose again until all the alcohol has been filtered from your bloodstream. That’s why drinking can lead to low blood sugar, especially morning low blood sugar after drinking at night — because you don’t eat overnight.

Conclusion

Lowering your fasting glucose level may not be a bad thing. Chronic high blood sugar can increase your risk of diabetes side effects such as nerve damage, blindness and kidney disease. A 2007 "Diabetes Care" study shows that Type 2 diabetics can lower A1C levels by drinking a moderate amount of wine with dinner. People with Type 1 diabetes may wake with hypoglycemia. Don’t drink on an empty stomach and don’t drink and exercise — physical activity can use too much energy and lower glucose levels too much.

Dr. K. Steven Whiting founded the Institute of Nutritional Science, whose mission is to research and collect information on the effects of non-synthetic substances on health. The institute’s website is also a venue Dr. Whiting uses to sell his products, among them CDs, DVDs, booklets and diagnostic tests. In addition, he and his organization have an agreement with Phoenix Nutritionals to promote the company’s products. His diabetic diet, for example, includes one of Phoenix Nutritionals’ supplements.

About Diabetes

When you eat carbohydrates, your body transforms them into sugar molecules small enough for your cells to absorb and use as fuel. Glucose is the most common of those sugars. Under normal conditions, the pancreas releases the hormone insulin when it senses glucose in the bloodstream. This signals to the cells that sugar is available for their absorption. In Type 1 diabetes, your pancreas cannot make enough insulin to trigger the cells to assimilate the sugar. This may be the case in Type 2 diabetes also; or it may be that insulin production is normal but the cells are not sensitive to it, so they do not go after the glucose in the bloodstream.

Dr. Whiting’s Perspective

Dr. Whiting focuses his dietary advice on diabetes Type 2, which he says starts as low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. He blames both conditions on the overconsumption of carbohydrates in the form of refined sugar and processed flour. According to Whiting, these foods cause the pancreas to produce insulin in excess. Thus his diet aims at limiting carbohydrate intake to curb insulin production.

Dr. Whiting’s Diet

The key to treating diabetes through diet is a gradual decrease in carbohydrate consumption, says Whiting. First, count how many grams of carbohydrates you eat daily. If the total is fewer than 100 grams, decrease carbohydrate consumption by 10 to 20 grams every day until you reach 40 to 50 grams of carbohydrates daily. If you usually take in more than 100 grams of carbohydrates daily, reduce consumption over four weeks — to 100 grams daily in the first week, 80 grams in the second week, 60 grams in the third week and 40 to 50 grams in the fourth week. Whiting recommends getting your carbs in the form of whole grains, wild rice, legumes and vegetables. Avoid foods containing sugar, molasses, corn syrup and honey. The doctor also advises taking GlucoCrave, a Phoenix Nutritionals product he says lowers insulin and reduces cravings.

Considerations

Ask your doctor whether she thinks Dr. Whiting’s diet can bring your glucose under control and serve as a viable treatment for diabetes Type 2. If you decide to try this plan, do so under a physician’s care. You need medical advice on several issues. If you currently take diabetes drugs, find out whether you should continue them while on this diet. Additionally, since Whiting limits his advice to carbohydrates and does not address other nutrients such as fats and protein, get medical guidance on planning complete meals for your condition. Also ask your doctor how often to monitor your glucose level and what changes you should report to her.

Muscle wasting, also called muscle atrophy, may be a result of glucose levels in your body. Glucose is a sugar in the body that if not broken down properly can lead to certain medical conditions, such as diabetes. If your doctor suspects your muscles are wasting and you have symptoms of diabetes, a glucose tolerance test will be performed to clinically diagnose your condition. Muscle wasting can lead to serious health complications.

Muscle Wasting

Muscle wasting occurs when the physical muscle begins to weaken and prevent physical activity. Atrophy of the muscles can occur for various reasons, such as a lack of physical movement and exercise, medical conditions and malnourishment, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Muscle wasting related to glucose levels in the body is most likely related to diabetes, which can cause the most severe type of wasting — neurogenic atrophy. This type of atrophy is related to degeneration of the nerves in the muscles that help promote mobility.

Diabetes and Muscle Atrophy

If you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down sugar appropriately in the body, which can lead to high blood glucose levels. Glucose helps to provide energy for cells that form your tissues and muscles and it is the substance that fuels the brain, according to MayoClinic.com. The inability to break down glucose can lead to severe damage to the nerves and muscles. If left untreated, too much sugar will cause harm to capillaries that provide nourishment for your nerves and muscles. People diagnosed with diabetes commonly experience numbness or tingling in the legs or fingers because of minor damage to the nerves that affects the muscles.

Glucose Testing

Glucose testing can determine how your body processes sugar. The most common glucose tolerance test used by doctors is an oral test, according to MedlinePlus. Before the test you are not permitted to eat or drink after midnight the night before testing. At the doctor’s office, you are given a liquid solution to ingest that contains glucose. Before drinking the solution, your blood is drawn. After taking the solution, your blood is drawn again to compare your glucose levels.

Considerations

Depending on the diagnosis, your doctor may require you to go on a modified diet, increase your physical exercise and monitor your blood sugar levels throughout the day. The only way to prevent further muscle wasting from abnormal glucose levels is to keep your glucose blood levels regulated.

Neuropathy is a general term that describes damage to a nerve or nerve group. It can affect any nerve in your body, but commonly affects the nerves in your legs and feet. Your femoral nerve supplies the muscles that help to straighten your leg. Damage to this nerve is called femoral neuropathy. Low-level infrared heat therapy is an experimental treatment option that involves using a low-energy laser to help reverse neuropathy symptoms.

Nerve Damage

Damage to a single nerve, such as the femoral nerve, is known as mononeuropathy. Direct trauma to the nerve, prolonged pressure, or compression to the nerve can cause femoral nerve damage. You may experience sensation changes in your knee, legs or thighs such as numbness or tingling if you have femoral nerve damage. You may also experience weakness in the affected leg, making it challenging to go up and down stairs.

Therapy

There is insufficient evidence to show that infrared heat therapy is effective for neuropathy such as femoral nerve damage, so it is considered experimental. Integrated Systems Physiology, which manufactures a low-level energy laser for neuropathy treatment, says that the laser increases circulation and stimulates the release of nitric oxide, which decreases pain and promotes healing. However, there are no published studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of low-level infrared heat therapy for nerve damage.

What to Expect

Your doctor will refer you to a physical therapy center for infrared heat therapy. Your therapist will assess your condition and determine how many sessions are necessary. This will depend on the severity of your nerve damage. Infrared heat therapy is painless. You can expect to feel a warm sensation from the infrared lights, similar to that of a low-level tanning bed. Some manufacturers produce at-home units for general health and restorative benefits. Initially, however, you should have a trained professional administer your therapy. Only use at-home infrared heat therapy units with your therapist’s permission.

Considerations

If the cause of your femoral nerve damage is identified and treated, it is possible to recover fully, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Your doctor may prescribe pain medication if necessary. Treatment goals aim to reduce pain and increase mobility of the affected leg. A leg brace can help with walking if needed. Physical therapy can help strengthen your leg as you heal. Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to help reduce inflammation, in addition to infrared heat therapy.