Is Complan/Lucozade good for diabetes?

What is Complan? 

Complan (1) is a food supplement drink designed for people with low appetite or poor oral intake and requires an additional supplement. They can be used along with regular healthy meals to fulfil their daily nutritional requirement. 

What is Lucozade(2)? 

Lucozade is an energy drink that sports people mainly use to replenish their electrolytes and hydration after exercise.

Nutritional value

Complan (1)

Per serving: 

• Energy 1025kJ (244kcal)
• Carbohydrate 34.3g
• Sugars: 14.6
• Fat: 8.1g
• Protein 8.5g 
• Fibre: 0g 
• Salt: 0.3g 

Lucozade(2)

Per serving: 

• Energy 597kJ (140kcal)
• Carbohydrate 33.9g
• Sugars 17.1g
• Salt 0.30g

Benefits of drinking Complan/Lucozade 

Complan is beneficial for adults who are not able to achieve their required nutrition due to poor appetite or difficulty in food intake. 

Lucozade is beneficial for a sportsperson to replenish their electrolytes and hydration, especially after intense exercise. 

Can people with diabetes have Complan/Lucozade?

Complan and Lucozade contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrate and should not be taken regularly. However, it can be used to treat hypoglycaemia. 

Over seven years of follow-up survey on Lucozade consumers (undiagnosed diabetes), health risks increased from high-calorie drinks. Meanwhile, their hyperglycaemic states recovered by stopping their soft drink intake. (3)

Can people with diabetes drink Energy Drinks?

Energy drinks tend to have a high amount of sugar and caffeine and can rapidly increase blood sugar after taking it. 

American Diabetes Association (4) advised that simply drinking water is adequate for the average person who may not need energy drinks when they exercise. However, energy drinks can help prevent low blood sugar during exercise. 

According to a survey of a group of healthy polish students (5), acute consumption of energy drinks will increase blood sugar levels by 21%. At the same time, their blood pressure (diastolic) after drinking an energy drink is increased by 8%.

Alternative to Complan/Lucozade for Diabetics

There are sugar-free sports drinks and supplements such as Lucozade Zero or Diasip. However, they contain artificial sweeteners in replacement for sugar. There is ongoing research on their overall safety and long-term impacts on health artificial sweeteners.  

Recommended Soft Drinks for Diabetes 

Sugar-free soft drinks are recommended for people living with diabetes. 

FAQ 

Is Fortisip Good for Diabetics?

Fortisip is an oral nutritional supplement that should only be prescribed by healthcare professionals who will assess the requirement needs of the individual. 

As Fortisip is high in protein, it is found beneficial to pulmonary rehabilitation patients: “High-protein supplementation in COPD during pulmonary rehabilitation may result in a clinically meaningful improvement in exercise capacity and was acceptable to patients.” (6)

At the same time, diabetics should consult doctors about taking Fortisip.

Is Purdeys Good for Diabetics? 

Purdeys contains 2-4g of sugar per 100ml and hence should be consumed in moderation as it can lead to a rise in blood sugar. 

Is Sugar-Free Squash Good for Diabetics? 

Sugar-free squash contains artificial sweeteners, which provide a sweet taste but do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. It is also low in calories, but further research is ongoing on its overall safety and long-term impacts on health. 

Is Vimto Good for Diabetics? 

Vimto has a sugar-free range that uses artificial sweeteners and is ideal for people with diabetes. 

Final Thoughts

For people living with diabetes, it is crucial to keep yourself hydrated and be aware of the carbohydrate and sugar content in your drinks. Water is the best option for people with diabetes as it does not contain sugar, calories, or artificial sweeteners. (7)

You can also add fruits to your water to make it flavourful without causing a rapid rise in your blood sugar. However, sugar-free squash and soft drinks are better than those with sugar. Regarding nutritional supplements, it is advisable to seek a health professional advice on the type of supplement you need, especially if you have diabetes. 

References: 

1. Complan original. Complan. (2021, May 17). Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://www.complan.com/products/complan-original/complan-original-product.html

2. Lucozade. Lucozade Energy - Original 24 x 380ml " Lucozade. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://www.lucozade.com/product/lucozade-energy/bottles/lucozade-energy-original-24-x-380ml/153/

3. Specterman, M., Bhuiya, A., Kuppuswamy, A., Strutton, P. H., Catley, M., & Davey, N. J. (2005). The effect of an energy drink containing glucose and caffeine on human corticospinal excitability. Physiology & behavior, 83(5), 723–728. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.09.008

4. Sports drinks impact on glucose (blood sugar). Sports Drinks Impact on Glucose (Blood Sugar) | ADA. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://www.diabetes.org/healthy-living/fitness/sports-drinks-impact-on-glucose-blood-sugar

5. Nowak, D., Gośliński, M., & Nowatkowska, K. (2018). The Effect of Acute Consumption of Energy Drinks on Blood Pressure, Heart Rate and Blood Glucose in the Group of Young Adults. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(3), 544. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030544

6. Aldhahir, A. M., Aldabayan, Y. S., Alqahtani, J. S., Ridsdale, H. A., Smith, C., Hurst, J. R., & Mandal, S. (2021). A double-blind randomised controlled trial of protein supplementation to enhance exercise capacity in COPD during pulmonary rehabilitation: a pilot study. ERJ open research, 7(1), 00077-2021. https://doi.org/10.1183/23120541.00077-2021

7. British Heart Foundation. (n.d.). 13 soft drinks ranked best to worst. BHF. Retrieved July 31, 2022, from https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/sugar-salt-and-fat/sugary-drinks/soft-drinks-best-to-worst#:~:text=Sugar%2Dfree%20drinks%20e.g.%20sugar,good%20for%20people%20with%20diabetes