Why You Should Never Mix Alcohol With Antibiotics
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We've all been there: feeling under the weather, a visit to the doctor's, and — just like that — a ten-day round of antibiotics. We've probably all been told that mixing alcohol with antibiotics can be dangerous, but is there any truth to this? Is a drink or two really that harmful?
In this post, we’ll explore how alcohol interacts with antibiotics, why it’s never a good idea to mix the two, and what types of antibiotics are particularly dangerous. Let’s dive in!
Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections like strep throat or a urinary tract infection. To understand what happens when we mix antibiotics and alcohol, we need to first appreciate what antibiotics are doing inside our bodies as they work against harmful bacteria.
Some antibiotics, like penicillin, operate by weakening the bacteria's cell wall, bursting and killing them. Others, such as tetracyclines, block the bacteria's ability to make proteins, their essential building blocks — preventing bacteria from growing and replicating, and allowing our natural defenses to kill them.
When we take an antibiotic, it travels into our stomach and then into our digestive tract. Once in our intestines, they’re absorbed into our bloodstream, battling bacteria wherever in our body they might be.
This is no easy feat. Antibiotics require a lot of energy, resources, and optimal conditions to work effectively. In other words, we need to keep our bodies well hydrated and nourished while taking antibiotics.
When we mix alcohol with antibiotics, things get a little problematic — but not necessarily because the combination impairs antibiotics’ effectiveness. In fact, research indicates that’s not quite the biggest concern. So what’s the problem?
Let’s take a closer look at 3 of the major reasons why we should never mix alcohol with antibiotics:
Mixing alcohol with any type of antibiotic can cause the general side effects mentioned above. However, some antibiotics are particularly dangerous when mixed with alcohol, causing more severe reactions. Let’s take a closer look at 5 specific ways that alcohol interacts with certain antibiotics:
1. Severe side effects. Drinking any amount of alcohol with the medications below can result in severe side effects, such as flushing, headache, nausea and vomiting, and rapid heart rate:
2. Serious heart and abdominal effects. The antibiotics sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim) and some cephalosporins (like cefoperazone and cefotetan) can lead to serious heart and gastrointestinal (GI) reactions when taken with alcohol, such as severe nausea and vomiting, irregular heart beat, sweating, and high or low blood pressure. Even alcohol-containing products like mouthwash or cough syrups can cause a negative reaction.
3. Dangerously high blood pressure. When mixed with alcohol, a class of drugs known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can result in dangerously high blood pressure, possibly leading to a serious event like a heart attack. This includes the antibiotic Linezolid (Zyvox). This is because MAOIs interfere with the breakdown of tyramine, a substance found in fermented foods and in drinks like red wine, sherry, and beer. As a result, tyramine builds up in our body, spiking our heart rate and raising our blood pressure.
4. Severe liver damage. On their own, the antibiotics isoniazid (Hydra) and ketoconazole can cause liver damage and even liver failure. As alcohol negatively affects our liver, we risk severe liver damage by combining either of them with alcohol.
5. Reduced effectiveness. Drinking alcohol while taking doxycycline (Vibramycin-D, Efracea, Periostat) and erythromycin (Pediazole) can decrease their effectiveness. Alcohol hinders our body’s ability to appropriately absorb these antibiotics, decreasing their effectiveness in curing an infection. This can lead to the infection worsening or recurring.
While it’s best to avoid alcohol while taking any antibiotic, it’s especially vital if we’re prescribed the ones mentioned above, given the serious reactions that can occur.
Keep in mind that we should always consult a medical professional to discuss whether it’s safe to consume alcohol while taking any prescription medication, including antibiotics. Here are 3 questions we can consider asking:
So if it’s not a good idea to drink while taking antibiotics, how soon can we start drinking after finishing them? It might be tempting to assume we can start drinking the day after finishing our last dose, but that’s not always the case. Just as it takes time for alcohol to process out of our system, antibiotics also need time to fully clear from our body. It’s typically recommended to avoid consuming alcohol for at least 48 to 72 hours after finishing our last dose.
This is especially important for certain antibiotics. For instance, doctors recommend not drinking alcohol for a full 3 days after taking metronidazole, tinidazole or benznidazole, and cefotetan. This is because alcohol can continue to react with these antibiotics, causing severe side effects, such as nausea, flushing, and a rapid heart rate.
Antibiotics typically come with warning labels and directions, but it’s always important to consult our doctor to determine when it’s safe for us to consume alcohol after taking any type of antibiotic or prescription medication.
Now, let’s say that you made a mistake: you weren’t thinking and took a sip of wine by accident while taking an antibiotic — what should you do? First and foremost, don’t drink any more! But it’s also important to be aware of any signs that indicate you might need medical attention. Here are 6 symptoms to look out for:
Be sure to contact a medical professional if you start experiencing any of these symptoms. Even without alcohol, antibiotics are powerful drugs, so it’s important to be aware of any abnormal changes to our health when taking them.
As we’ve learned, even without adding alcohol into the mix, antibiotics can cause uncomfortable side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Eating the right foods can help combat these side effects and encourage healing from an infection. Here are 5 types of foods to focus on while taking and after taking antibiotics:
Keep in mind that adequate sleep, hydration, and stress management are equally important for helping to fight off an infection. In addition to alcohol, some research suggests that grapefruits and grapefruit juice can stop the body from breaking down and correctly absorbing antibiotics. Other research indicates that foods fortified with high doses of calcium (such as orange juice) can interfere with the absorption of certain antibiotics.
Finally, always be sure to take your antibiotic as directed. Even if you start to feel better after a couple days, make sure to finish your prescription. This is important for preventing antibiotic resistance, which occurs when bacteria evolve to outsmart the antibiotics designed to kill them.
Mixing alcohol with antibiotics is unwise. Doing so can cause severe side effects and impair our body’s ability to fight an infection and heal. While some antibiotics are more dangerous to mix with alcohol than others, it’s best practice to avoid alcohol while taking any antibiotic. Even after we finish the prescription, we should wait to consume alcohol for at least 48 to 72 hours in order to ensure it’s fully out of our system.
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1. What are antibiotics?
Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections like strep throat or a urinary tract infection. They work by killing the bacteria or making it harder for the bacteria to grow and multiply.
2. Why is it dangerous to mix alcohol with antibiotics?
Mixing alcohol with antibiotics can be dangerous because it can worsen side effects and impair our body’s ability to fight an infection and heal. Some antibiotics can cause severe reactions, such as flushing, nausea and vomiting, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and liver damage.
3. How soon can you start drinking after finishing an antibiotic?
It’s generally recommended to avoid alcohol for at least 48 to 72 hours after the last dose of an antibiotic.
4. What are beneficial things to consume while taking an antibiotic and after?
Probiotics, prebiotics, fermented foods, and high-fiber foods are beneficial to consume, as they help restore the balance of good bacteria in our gut that we might lose from taking antibiotics.
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