- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
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Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She's a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an associate professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She's a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor of diabetes content on Mayo's health information website and for "Mayo Clinic The Essential Diabetes Book." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
Risk factors (1)
- Diabetes: Does alcohol and tobacco use increase my risk?
Symptoms (1)
- The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
Complications (1)
- Diabetes: How do I help protect my liver?
Treatments and drugs (4)
- Avandia safety concerns: What should I do?
- Diabetes management: Does aspirin therapy prevent heart problems?
- Blood glucose monitors: What factors affect accuracy?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Lifestyle and home remedies (10)
- Caffeine: Does it affect blood sugar?
- Glucosamine: Does it affect blood sugar?
- Diabetes: Are electric blankets off-limits?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (1)
- Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
Prevention (2)
- Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health?
- Sodium nitrate in meat: Heart disease risk factor?
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Question
Diabetes: Does alcohol and tobacco use increase my risk?
Does alcohol and tobacco use increase the risk of diabetes?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Yes, alcohol and tobacco use increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Although studies show that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) may actually lower the risk of diabetes, the opposite is true for people who drink greater amounts of alcohol.
Heavy alcohol use
Too much alcohol can cause chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can impair its ability to secrete insulin and ultimately lead to diabetes.
Tobacco use
Tobacco is equally harmful. Tobacco use can increase blood sugar levels and lead to insulin resistance. And the more you smoke, the greater your risk of diabetes.
Heavy smokers — those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day — almost double their risk of developing diabetes, when compared with nonsmokers.
Next questionThe dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
- Pancreatitis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/pancreatitis/. Accessed May 3, 2011.
- Mukamal K. Overview of the risks and benefits of alcohol consumption. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 28, 2011.
- Willi C, et al. Active smoking and the risk of type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;298:1654.
- Chiolero A, et al. Consequences of smoking for body weight, body fat distribution, and insulin resistance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;87:801.
- Joosten MM, et al. Combined effect of alcohol consumption and lifestyle behaviors on risk of type 2 diabetes. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2010;91:1777.
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