Diabetes is very common later in life. According to Diabetes UK, around 4.6 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes, and an estimated further 1.3 million may be living with type 2 diabetes without knowing it. So if you’re dating after 50, there’s a fair chance that either you or someone you meet will have diabetes.
Living with diabetes doesn’t stop you dating, falling in love or enjoying intimacy. But it can raise practical questions. Should I tell a date? How do I handle food and drink on a first date? What if I have a hypo? Will diabetes affect my sex life? This guide covers dating with diabetes later in life, including disclosure, practical tips for dates, alcohol, intimacy and how partners can be supportive. It’s not medical advice. Please talk to your GP, diabetes nurse or diabetes team about managing your condition.
General information, not medical or medical or psychological advice
This guide explains how things generally work in the UK so you know what to ask. It is not advice about your situation, and Hearts Again is not a law firm, financial adviser or healthcare provider. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and can change. Before you make any decision, speak to a qualified professional:
- your GP, a pharmacist or NHS 111 (Scotland: NHS inform or 111). In an emergency, call 999
- a sexual health clinic (find one on the NHS website), your GP, a pharmacist or NHS 111
- your GP, a counsellor registered with the BACP, or Samaritans on 116 123 if you are struggling
The short answer
- Diabetes UK estimates that around 4.6 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes. It's very common later in life.
- You don't have to tell a date you have diabetes, but many people find it helps to share once they feel some trust, especially if they use insulin or are at risk of hypos.
- Planning ahead can make dates easier, for example by choosing places with menus you're comfortable with and carrying what you need.
- Alcohol can affect blood sugar. Your diabetes team can explain how it affects you.
- Diabetes can sometimes affect sex and intimacy. Talk to your GP or diabetes team if you notice changes.
- Diabetes UK's helpline offers information and support. A kind partner will want to understand your condition, not judge you for it.
Types of diabetes, in brief
There are different types of diabetes. The two most common are:
- Type 1 diabetes, where the body doesn’t produce insulin. People with type 1 need insulin
- Type 2 diabetes, where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the insulin doesn’t work properly. It’s much more common, and is managed in different ways, which may include lifestyle changes, tablets or insulin
Some people develop other types. The way diabetes affects daily life varies a lot between people. This guide is general, and your diabetes team is the best source of advice for you.
Should you tell a date you have diabetes?
There’s no rule. It’s your health information, and you can choose when and whether to share it.
Your profile
You don’t need to mention diabetes in your dating profile. Some people prefer to wait. Others are happy to mention it, especially if it’s a big part of their life, for example if they’re involved with diabetes charities or sport.
Early dates
Many people don’t mention diabetes on a first date unless it comes up. That might happen if you need to check your blood sugar, inject insulin or explain why you’re choosing particular food. If it does come up, a brief, matter-of-fact explanation is usually enough: “I’ve got type 2 diabetes, so I’m just checking my levels.”
Why some people share early
If you use insulin or certain medicines that can cause low blood sugar, you might decide to tell someone sooner, so they know what to do if you have a hypo. Some people find it reassuring to tell a date early on, especially before longer dates, trips or overnight stays.
How people react
Most people respond with understanding. Some may know very little about diabetes, or have outdated ideas. You might hear comments like “should you be eating that?” It’s fine to explain that you know how to manage your own condition. Someone who judges or lectures you about diabetes is showing you something about how they might behave in a relationship.
Practical tips for dates
Choosing where to go
It may help to:
- Pick places where you know the menu, or check menus online beforehand
- Choose daytime dates, such as coffee or lunch, if that makes it easier to manage your routine
- Think about activity dates, such as walks, which can be enjoyable but may also affect blood sugar. Your diabetes team can advise you on managing activity
- Avoid long gaps without food, if that’s an issue for you
Our guide to first date ideas over 50 has suggestions for relaxed dates.
Carrying what you need
Many people with diabetes carry supplies such as their meter or sensor reader, medication, and something to treat a hypo. Your diabetes team can advise you on what you need. Packing these before a date can save worry.
Checking blood sugar and injecting
Some people feel self-conscious about checking blood sugar or injecting in public. You can do it discreetly, or excuse yourself if you prefer. Many people with diabetes are comfortable doing it openly. Either approach is fine.
Ordering food
Eating out can be tricky if you’re trying to manage blood sugar. It may help to:
- Look at the menu in advance
- Ask about ingredients or portion sizes
- Not feel pressured to have a dessert or a drink you don’t want
You don’t need to explain your food choices to a date unless you want to.
Alcohol
Alcohol can affect blood sugar levels. The NHS lists drinking a lot of alcohol, especially without eating, among the possible causes of low blood sugar in people with diabetes. The effect can vary depending on the type of diabetes, the medicines you take, what you eat and how much you drink, and it can sometimes happen hours after drinking.
Your GP or diabetes team can explain how alcohol might affect you and how to drink more safely if you choose to. Some people find it helps to:
- Eat when they drink
- Know their limits, and stick to them
- Tell a date they might need to check their blood sugar
It’s always fine to choose a non-alcoholic drink on a date. Many people do, for all sorts of reasons.
Hypos on a date
A hypo, or hypoglycaemia, is when blood sugar levels drop too low. It mostly affects people who use insulin or certain other diabetes medicines. The NHS lists symptoms such as feeling hungry, sweating, trembling, tingling around the lips, a fast or pounding heartbeat, feeling anxious or irritable, tiredness, blurred vision and confusion.
If you’re at risk of hypos, it may help to:
- Follow your diabetes team’s advice on preventing and treating hypos
- Carry what you need to treat a hypo
- Consider telling a date, especially before longer dates, so they’re not alarmed
- Wear or carry medical ID, if you do usually
If a date tells you they have diabetes and are at risk of hypos, it’s fine to ask what you should do if they feel unwell.
Diabetes and intimacy
Diabetes can sometimes affect sex and intimacy, although it doesn’t for everyone. Possible effects include:
- Erection problems. The NHS lists diabetes among the possible physical causes of erectile dysfunction. Our guide to erectile dysfunction and dating after 50 covers this in more depth
- Vaginal dryness or discomfort, which can also be linked to menopause
- Thrush or urinary infections, which can be more common in people with diabetes
- Low desire, which can be linked to tiredness, stress, mood or blood sugar levels
- Blood sugar changes, since sex is a physical activity
If you notice any of these, talk to your GP, diabetes nurse or a sexual health clinic. They’re used to these conversations. You can also talk to a partner, which often reduces worry. Our guides to sex with a new partner after 50 and intimacy without sex after 50 have more on intimacy later in life.
Cooking and eating together
As a relationship develops, you may start cooking for each other or eating at each other’s homes. It may help to:
- Let your partner know about any foods you prefer to avoid, without making it a big deal
- Cook together, which can be a fun way to share meals that work for you both
- Be honest if you need to eat at a particular time
- Remember that you don’t have to explain every choice
If your partner wants to support you, they might ask questions about your diet. Some people welcome this. Others find it intrusive. It’s fine to say what feels helpful.
Routines and appointments
Managing diabetes often involves regular checks, appointments and routines. In a new relationship, you might need to:
- Fit dates around medication, meals or monitoring
- Explain why you sometimes need to leave at a certain time
- Mention regular appointments, such as eye screening or diabetes reviews, if they affect plans
A good partner will be flexible. You don’t need to apologise for looking after your health.
Overnight stays and trips
As a relationship develops, you may stay over or go away together. It may help to:
- Pack your supplies, and extra in case of delays
- Keep your routine as much as you can
- Tell your partner what they should do if you have a hypo
- Think about travel insurance that covers diabetes, if you’re going abroad
Diabetes UK has information on travelling with diabetes. Our guide to singles holidays covers some of the practicalities of travel later in life.
When a relationship becomes serious
As a relationship deepens, you may want to talk more about how diabetes affects your life and your future. Some people talk about:
- What their partner should do in an emergency, such as a severe hypo
- How diabetes affects daily life, such as energy, mood and routines
- Long-term health, including any complications or other conditions
- Practical matters, such as travel insurance, holidays and living arrangements
There’s no need to share everything at once. Many people find that talking openly builds trust and helps a partner understand how to support them. If you’re thinking about living together, our guide to moving in or buying a home together covers the wider practicalities.
Online dating with diabetes
If you’re using dating apps or websites, it may help to:
- Decide in advance whether and when you’ll mention diabetes
- Use video calls before meeting, which can also help you plan where to meet
- Choose first-date venues that suit your needs, such as somewhere that serves food
Our guide to dating profile tips after 50 has more on writing a profile.
Body confidence
Some people feel self-conscious about devices, such as insulin pumps or glucose sensors, or about weight, injection sites or other changes. These feelings are common. It may help to:
- Remember that many people live with medical devices, and a kind partner won’t mind
- Explain what a device is, if it helps you feel more relaxed
- Focus on what you enjoy about yourself
Our guide to feeling attractive again has more on building confidence.
Emotional wellbeing
Living with diabetes can be tiring. Some people experience what’s sometimes called diabetes distress, feeling overwhelmed or burnt out by managing their condition. If you’re struggling, talk to your GP or diabetes team. Diabetes UK’s helpline can also help.
Dating can bring its own stresses, especially if you’re worried about how someone will react to your condition. It’s fine to take things slowly.
If you’re dating someone with diabetes
If your new partner has diabetes, it may help to:
- Ask them about it, if they’re happy to talk, rather than assuming
- Don’t police their food or drink. They know how to manage their condition
- Learn what to do if they have a hypo, if they’re at risk
- Be flexible about plans, timings and food
- Be supportive, without treating them as fragile
You might also find it helpful to read information from Diabetes UK.
Dating, diabetes and other health conditions
Many people over 50 live with more than one health condition. If you’re managing diabetes alongside other conditions, such as heart problems or arthritis, our guides to dating with a health condition and dating with arthritis may help.
Your rights
Diabetes may be considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 in Great Britain, depending on its effects, and similar protections apply in Northern Ireland under separate legislation. This mainly applies to areas such as work and services. Citizens Advice can explain your rights.
Newly diagnosed and dating
Some people are diagnosed with diabetes in their 50s or 60s, around the same time as they start dating again. Getting used to a new diagnosis while meeting new people can feel like a lot. You might be learning about medication, food and monitoring, and still working out how you feel about it.
It may help to:
- Give yourself time to adjust before worrying about what to tell dates
- Take up any education courses your GP or diabetes team offers, which can help you feel more confident
- Talk to others who’ve been diagnosed later in life, for example through Diabetes UK’s forum
- Remember that a diagnosis doesn’t change who you are
Many people find that, once they feel more in control of their diabetes, it becomes a small part of how they introduce themselves rather than a big reveal.
Where to get support
- Your GP, diabetes nurse or diabetes team
- Diabetes UK helpline: 0345 123 2399
- Diabetes UK online forum, where you can talk to others living with diabetes
- Local diabetes support groups
- A sexual health clinic, for sexual health concerns
Common situations
“I’m worried about having a hypo on a date”
Follow your diabetes team’s advice, carry what you need and consider telling your date beforehand.
“My date keeps commenting on what I eat”
You can explain kindly that you know how to manage your condition. If it continues, that tells you something about them.
“I have type 2 and I’m embarrassed”
Diabetes is very common, and nothing to be ashamed of. Share when you feel ready.
“My partner has diabetes and I don’t know how to help”
Ask them what they’d like, and learn what to do if they have a hypo.
“Diabetes is affecting my sex life”
Talk to your GP or diabetes team. Help is available.
Frequently asked questions
Should I tell a date I have diabetes?
It’s your choice. Many people share once they feel some trust, or sooner if they’re at risk of hypos.
Can I drink alcohol on a date if I have diabetes?
Alcohol can affect blood sugar. Your GP or diabetes team can explain how it affects you.
Can diabetes affect sex?
It can. The NHS lists diabetes among the possible causes of erection problems. Talk to your GP if you notice changes.
How can I support a partner with diabetes?
Ask what they need, don’t police their food and learn what to do if they have a hypo.
Where can I get support?
Your GP, diabetes team or the Diabetes UK helpline on 0345 123 2399.
Related guides
- Dating with a health condition
- Erectile dysfunction and dating after 50
- Sex with a new partner after 50
- First date ideas over 50
- Dating with arthritis
- How to feel attractive again
Sources
- Diabetes UK, figures reported March 2025: 4.6 million diagnosed and an estimated 1.3 million undiagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the UK.
- NHS, “Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)” and “Erectile dysfunction (impotence)”, nhs.uk.
- Equality Act 2010.