Can you mix antibiotics and alcohol?

Alcohol interferes with some antibiotics in different ways, which may alter the effectiveness or side effects. Scientists have linked heavy and binge drinking with an impaired immune system. People with an impaired immune system have a higher risk of infection. In rare cases, people may experience seizures with fluoroquinolone treatment. In 2018, what is mesculin the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published updated safety warnings on all fluoroquinolone antibiotics. By Rosanna Sutherby, PharmDSutherby is a community pharmacist with over 20 years of experience in medication review, counseling, and immunization.

In some cases levels of a drug in your bloodstream might be changed which could alter effectiveness. Check with your healthcare provider each time you start a new prescription or over-the-counter medicine to determine if there are important drug interactions with alcohol. Mixing alcohol and some antibiotics may cause side effects like liver problems or a «disulfiram-like reaction». Some antibiotics cannot be taken with alcohol at all, so follow your healthcare provider’s instructions.

1. But that likely depends on your age, overall health, and the type of drug you’re taking.
2. Isoniazid is often used with other medications to help treat or prevent tuberculosis (TB), a serious bacterial lung infection.
3. Consuming alcohol while taking antibiotics can impact the healing process and, depending on the medication, cause serious side effects.
4. One of the most common concerns when taking antibiotics is whether alcohol can still be consumed during treatment.

Isoniazid and linezolid

Alcohol may adversely affect the PK of erythromycin and may increase blood alcohol levels. Data are limited regarding the adverse effects of concomitant use of FQs and alcohol. One case report documents a 46-year-old male who developed erythema multiforme while receiving ciprofloxacin after consuming alcohol (25). The reaction resolved with continued ciprofloxacin use and abstention from alcohol. Some people experience hypersensitivity reactions, which means their immune system mistakenly reacts to harmless substances.

Possible side effects

Seven subjects had a positive response of a 30 mm Hg increase in SBP during both placebo and treatment phases, suggesting that the result may have been related to other factors. The median tyramine dose required to produce a 30 mm Hg increase in SBP was 325 mg in the tedizolid group. Package labeling for tedizolid reflects no specific dietary limitations for tyramine-containing foods (86). Levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and trovafloxacin had improved efficacy in alcohol-fed rats compared to alcohol-free rats (24). All antibiotics were equally effective at improving survival and had improved efficacy in alcohol-fed rats.

The Effect of Alcohol on Specific Antibiotics

It can make you tired and dehydrated, but it’s not because of any interaction with your medication. The fear for doctors is that these erroneous beliefs might make patients skip their medication over a glass of wine. Anything that encourages people to miss doses of antibiotics adds to the serious problem of antibiotic resistance. Speak with the prescribing healthcare provider or a pharmacist about alcohol use while taking antibiotics. This group of antibiotics includes levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and fluoroquinolone, which are used for various bacterial infections. Nitroimidazoles, including metronidazole, tinidazole, and secnidazole, are often used for parasitic or anaerobic bacterial infections.

“Dehydration and poor sleep are the main side effects of alcohol that can slow your recovery,” clarifies Dr. Clayton. Combination with alcohol may increase risk for additive sedation, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion and trouble concentrating. In many cases, you only need to take antibiotics for a week or two to fully recover from an infection.

Which antibiotics interact with alcohol?

While alcohol use should still be avoided with certain antimicrobials, use with select others appears to be acceptable. Isoniazid is used for the treatment of tuberculosis and nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections (98). Use of alcohol with griseofulvin should be avoided due to risk of a disulfiram-like reaction, which may be severe. Despite the widespread belief that metronidazole is contraindicated with alcohol consumption, the literature raises doubt. Interaction occurs with unclear frequency, and, when it occurs, it ensues with varying severity. Package labeling recommends avoiding alcohol within 72 h of tinidazole due to its chemical similarity to metronidazole, but data to support this concern were not identified (72).