Amoxicillin and certain other prescription medications can also cause these side effects. Amoxicillin is sometimes used off-label to treat Lyme disease or to prevent infections during certain surgeries or dental work. Alcohol can make antibiotics less effective, as well as worsen existing side effects or create additional side effects.
Why You Should Avoid Alcohol on Antibiotics
This section considers the recommendations and possible side effects of consuming alcohol with different antibiotics. For example, you should probably avoid using alcohol while taking the antifungals Nizoral (ketoconazole) or Gris-PEG (griseofulvin), due to risk of liver problems. However, some other antifungals, such as Diflucan (fluconazole), might be able to be used more safely with alcohol. The following lists are adapted from a 2020 review article from the American Society for Microbiology, which analyzed current data on safety on alcohol and antibiotics. Rarely, severe symptoms can occur, such as very low blood pressure or heart attack. Keep in mind that some cold medicines and mouthwashes also have alcohol.
Symptom Checker
If you’ve been prescribed an antibiotic for an infection, you may wonder if it’s safe to have a drink or two. Also, the antibiotic linezolid (Zyvox) pregabalin wiki interacts with some alcoholic drinks, including red wine and tap beer. Drinking these with this medicine can cause a harmful rise in blood pressure. It’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before you mix alcohol with an antibiotic as this might be dangerous for your liver or cause other reactions. We’ll also explain what effects alcohol can have on your body’s ability to fight infection.
When you’re taking an antibiotic, you won’t always be bedridden—so you may want a glass of wine, beer, or a cocktail if you’re meeting with friends or family. Because amoxicillin is used to treat infections, alcohol may make it more difficult for amoxicillin to treat your condition. While alcohol does not interact with every prescription drug, in many cases, it can worsen existing side effects or cause additional, independent side effects. It’s also used along with other medications to treat stomach ulcers caused by the bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). However, amoxicillin can only be used by adults to treat stomach ulcers. It can cause nausea, dizziness, headache, chest and abdominal discomfort, flushing, vomiting, and hangover-like symptoms.
Isoniazid is an antibiotic in the class of antituberculosis agents. Ketoconazole is an antifungal that may be used to treat topical infections like athlete’s foot, ringworm, and others. Cefotetan may commonly be given by IV before or after surgical procedures.
The combination of certain antibiotics and alcohol can james anderson author also cause liver damage and sometimes lead to liver failure. Certain classes of antibiotics have severe interactions with alcohol. As with many medications, there are risks with pairing alcohol and antibiotics. Some alcohol and drug interactions can be dangerous and may result in severe symptoms.
Remember that the interactions mentioned above do not reflect every antibiotic that interacts with alcohol. Always seek medical attention if you experience symptoms that feel out of the ordinary or are concerning. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published updated safety warnings on all fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole can affect the metabolism are toads poisonous to humans of folic acid in bacteria. In rare cases, it can also affect the metabolism of folic acid in human cells. “Dehydration and poor sleep are the main side effects of alcohol that can slow your recovery,” clarifies Dr. Clayton.
It’s also important to finish the entire course of antibiotics a doctor prescribes; stopping the drug early can lead to antibiotic resistance. Therefore if you are diagnosed with a viral infection, your doctor will not recommend antibiotics unless you have a secondary bacterial infection in addition. In this article, I’ll talk more about what antibiotics are and how they work, and why you shouldn’t mix them with alcohol—including side effects and complications that may occur. Alcohol and amoxicillin can cause similar side effects, and combining the two can worsen or increase your risk of having these side effects. Nouhavandi says this is partly because when you’re sick, you need to be properly hydrated.
Metronidazole, tinidazole, cefotetan, cefoperazone, and ketoconazole
Antibiotics are drugs that target bacteria to treat and prevent infections. For some side effects, like a disulfiram-like reaction, you might have a problem when drinking only a little bit of alcohol while on your antibiotic. This might even include over-the-counter products like mouthwash or cough syrup. For example, if you already have ongoing liver problems, it may be more important to avoid alcohol while taking certain antibiotics.
- Because amoxicillin is used to treat infections, alcohol may make it more difficult for amoxicillin to treat your condition.
- Antibiotics are prescription drugs that work to either kill infection-causing bacteria, or prevent those bacteria from reproducing.
- For example, many antibiotics have potential side effects like stomach irritation or nausea.
- Mixing alcohol with fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin may increase these mental health side effects.
Which antibiotics interact with alcohol?
If you need to avoid alcohol, be sure you check all of your food and medicine labels to be sure they don’t contain alcohol. It is important to tell your doctor about all the medications you use, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if your antibiotic has an interaction with any liver enzymes.
Can I take antibiotics with alcohol?
Our physicians can prescribe antibiotics for various conditions, but only if necessary. In addition, not prescribing an antibiotic for a viral infection is another way doctors prevent increasing antibiotic resistance. This is called antibiotic resistance, and it’s a very serious global health problem.
Almost 10 million prescriptions for antibiotics were written in the U.S. in the first half of 2020 alone. By Rosanna Sutherby, PharmDSutherby is a community pharmacist with over 20 years of experience in medication review, counseling, and immunization. Limiting alcohol in general while you’re treating an infection may help you heal quicker and lower your risk of side effects.
