Alcohol And Antibiotics

The Interaction

If you are concerned about any possible negative interactions with your prescription, speak with your medical provider or pharmacist. In general, medical professionals are hesitant to recommend drinking at all while recovering from infection. Most antibiotics don’t react dangerously, but drinking alcohol may lengthen and decrease the quality of the recovery period.

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Alcohol And Infections

Antibiotics kill bacteria in order to avoid infections or stop them if they’ve started. Understanding the interactions between alcohol and antibiotics as well as alcohol and infections may clarify why avoiding alcohol may be pertinent.

Research since the early 1800s established the detrimental effects alcohol has on the body. More recent studies show how alcohol specifically weakens the immune system as it’s being metabolized. If your body is trying to fight an infection, drinking large amounts of alcohol can hamper the effectiveness of the immune response to infection. Responsible drinking (2-3 drinks or less per day) reduces the impact on the immune system and should not interfere with most antibiotics. While the impact may be smaller or even negligible, many health professionals advise against drinking while fighting an infection.

Negative Interactions Between Alcohol And Antibiotics

Barring any rare medicine allergies or disorders, most antibiotics do not react dangerously with alcohol. In most cases, the alcohol may have no noticeable impact. Another common scenario involves the alcohol triggering or intensifying the side effects of whatever antibiotic you’re taking. Several popular antibiotics list side effects that mirror those of alcohol and drinking, and drinking heavily may cause those symptoms to appear or intensify them.

Popular Antibiotics And Their Alcohol Interaction

Below is a list of the 10 most common antibiotics and their interactions with alcohol. While some may not have any serious interactions with alcohol, that doesn’t mean that they’re productive for healing. Consult your doctor or pharmacist before engaging in drinking behaviors while taking these prescriptions.

1. Amoxicillin
   Responsible drinking should not interfere with Amoxicillin.
2. Azithromycin
   Responsible drinking will most likely not impede the effectiveness of Azithromycin but may exacerbate side effects like nausea, vomiting, headaches, and diarrhea.
3. Clavulanate
   Responsible drinking should not interfere with Clavulanate.
4. Clindamycin
   Responsible drinking should not interfere with Clindamycin.
5. Cephalexin
   Responsible drinking should not impede the effectiveness of Cephalexin but may exacerbate side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea.
6. Ciprofloxacin
   Responsible drinking should not interfere with Ciprofloxacin.
7. Sulfamethoxazole
   Do not drink alcohol while taking Sulfamethoxazole. The combination will cause effects like increased heart rate, nausea, and vomiting.
8. Metronidazole
   Do not drink alcohol while taking Metronidazole. The combination will cause effects like flushed skin, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting.
9. Levofloxacin
   Do not drink alcohol while taking Levofloxacin. The combination will cause effects like disorientation, nervousness, disturbances in attention, memory loss, and confusion.
10. Doxycycline
    Do not drink alcohol while taking Doxycycline. The alcohol will reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic.

Antibiotics And Alcoholism

Incidental and responsible alcohol consumption provides little risk for nonreactive antibiotics. Heavy drinking comes with its own risks, which may be exacerbated by the medicine.

Overwhelming the liver with constant alcohol use can interrupt important bodily processes involved in metabolizing and distributing medication around the body. Some interactions between alcohol and antibiotics may even harm the liver, if there’s enough alcohol consumed during the prescription. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before committing to hazardous drinking behavior.

Managing Hazardous Drinking

If, in searching for safety information about antibiotics, you’ve found an unhealthy pattern of drinking in your life or a loved one’s, there is help available. Contact a treatment provider to find treatment options.