Many people believe that antibiotics and alcohol are incompatible and that mixing them is dangerous, or that, if you drink when you are under treatment, the pills lose their effect. The reality is not such, but it is true that alcohol increases the hepatic metabolism of these drugs and decreases its concentration in blood so that its presence in the place where it should take effect is less and so is its effectiveness.
What happens is that once ingested, these drugs can follow several paths in the body: they are either metabolized by the liver or eliminated through urine or feces. Depending on the excretion path they follow, they will remain active for more or less time, which will determine how often each dose should be administered.
So what alcohol can do is delay or accelerate its absorption and elimination. That is, if you drink a lot, the antibiotic works more slowly. This reduction in effect can occur in a type of antibiotic called macrolides and quinolones, which are used to treat throat, urinary or respiratory infections.
On the other hand, with some cephalosporins, antibiotics of the beta-lactam group, alcohol intake precipitates the appearance of a series of symptoms. However, there are certain antibiotics that can have negative effects when mixed with alcohol. For example, metronidazole and tinidazole used to treat some stomach bacteria or vaginal infections, among others. The result of the combination may include nausea, vomiting and chest pains. Alcohol can also reduce the absorption capacity of some specific antibiotics.
It must be taken into account that some medicines for the cold and mouth rinses also contain alcohol. In order to avoid possible effects, the label should be checked and these products should not be taken while these antibiotics are being taken.
Although alcohol does not reduce the effectiveness of most antibiotics, it can reduce energy and delay how quickly you recover from the disease. Therefore, it is a good idea to avoid alcohol until you finish taking antibiotics and feel better.
Antibiotics that cause problems when drinking alcohol
Very few of the commonly prescribed antibiotics discourage alcohol intake. In recipes such as cephalexin, ampicillin or erythromycin, they show that there is no warning label on alcohol.
Alcohol causes problems regarding its reliability when mixed with some of the hundreds of antibiotics available. In addition to metronidazole and its close relative tinidazole, alcohol may not be taken while taking:
Furazolidone: An antibiotic used for intestinal infections.
Griseofulvin: An antifungal drug used to treat ringworm and other infections of the skin or nails.
Quinacrine: An antibiotic most used to treat malaria and giardia (an intestinal parasite).
Mix other medications with alcohol.
Alcohol has many different effects on the body, depending on the pills or medications that are being taken can cause:
Sedation - This can increase the sedative effects of the drugs.
They compete for enzymes that "digest" certain medications - Medications can stick longer in the body leading to an increase in blood concentration. They accelerate the enzymes responsible for breaking down medications - this can reduce the concentration of these drugs, which in turn can reduce their effectiveness or require higher doses to achieve the desired effect.
Activate the enzymes that metabolize drugs in chemicals that are toxic to the liver - This happens with acetaminophen. Regular ingestion of alcohol along with acetaminophen in some cases can cause severe liver damage associated with the use of paracetamol.
If you take any medication regularly, it is advisable to ask the doctor or pharmacist about being able to drink alcohol. Surely you will get important tips that will help make the drugs work better and reduce the risk of side effects.
Important to know
Of course, the most sensible thing to do is stop drinking alcohol while taking medications. However, if this is not going to be done then, at a minimum, there are several types of antibiotics that should be avoided to mix with alcohol:
- Metronidazole
- Tinidazole
- Furazolidone
- Griseofulvin
- Erythromycin
- Linezolid
- Cotrimoxazole
These can cause a headache, an irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting. Some of the usual side effects of taking antibiotics such as erythromycin (such as dizziness, drowsiness or stomach pain) are increased when alcohol is introduced into the mixture.
There is not very strong evidence to show that alcohol consumption negates the effect of antibiotics on the body.
However, the combination of alcohol and antibiotics can reduce the level of energy, which in turn makes it take longer to recover. If you are trying to fight an infection, the best thing to do is create the ideal environment to help the body in its recovery.
If you have to choose between antibiotics and alcohol, maybe you should think about the one that battles the bacteria, which is probably the best option. It is always best to consult a doctor if you have any concerns about how a particular medication can affect if mixed with alcohol.
Alcohol is never recommended (be healthy and sick) but if you drink while you are on treatment I will not miss anything, at least with most antibiotics. Anyway, it is best to consult your doctor before making any decision.
References.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/antibiotics-alcohol
- https://www.treated.com/blog/is-it-safe-to-drink-alcohol-while-taking-antibiotics
- http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130917-truth-about-drink-and-antibiotics
- https://www.emedicinehealth.com/antibiotics/article_em.htm#what_are_the_side_effects_of_antibiotics
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/antibiotics/