This is one of those questions we hear every single day in some way, shape, or form. Antibiotic courses tend to last five days or more, and that can get in the way of social plans if alcohol is on the menu. Bigelow, we have a few key points we relay to our patients to ensure they can make an informed decision…. Alcohol consumption while taking antibiotics generally isn't recommended, for a variety of reasons. In regards to Bactrim with alcohol specifically, Bactrim can inhibit acetaldehyde dehydrogenase , which is largely responsible for alcohol metabolism 5.
If acetaldehyde dehydrogenase is less active , alcohol toxicity can build up and can cause what is known as a disulfiram reaction 6. This reaction is characterized by:. This potential 'disulfiram reaction' between alcohol and Bactrim is controversial as there is little data to support that it occurs with normally prescribed amounts of Bactrim and reasonable alcohol consumption. The reaction is more associated with other drugs, like Flagyl metronidazole 7.
Nevertheless, the reaction has been reported and must be considered. In addition to the potential 'disufiram reaction', mixing alcohol and Bactrim can increase the risk of nausea and other gastrointestinal effects. Small amounts of alcohol, such as the amounts contained in liquid medication themselves, prepared meals etc If the potential disulfiram reaction wasn't bad enough, if you have impaired liver function or a known folate deficiency, Bactrim needs to be taken cautiously and should not be combined with alcohol.
You can resume drinking alcohol once the antibiotic has cleared from your system, which is usually three days after the last dose. Since drinking alcohol lowers your body's immune system, drinking when you've been prescribed an antibiotic is never a great idea.
Furthermore, even antibiotics that aren't directly contraindicated with alcohol — meaning mixing them with alcohol is strongly discouraged — still come with a risk of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Nouhavandi cites doxycycline Vibramycin, Monodox and amoxicillin Amoxil as two examples of antibiotics that are known to frequently cause digestive problems.
Since having alcohol in your system can also cause these symptoms on its own, using both antibiotics and alcohol together increases your risk of these side effects. Alcohol consumption won't directly impact how effective your antibiotics are. But, drinking alcohol can mean that it takes your body longer to recover from whatever infection or illness you are taking antibiotics for in the first place.
Nouhavandi says this is partly because when you're sick, you need to be properly hydrated. One of the side effects of drinking alcohol can be dehydration, which can make it harder for you to get well. Like many types of antibiotics, alcohol is broken down and processed by your liver before it can exit your body. When your liver is already working to help fight infection, adding alcohol to the mix can overwork it. In rare cases, this can cause drug-induced liver toxicity swelling of your liver.
Even if you want a drink, it's important not to skip a dose or a day of your antibiotics until your prescribed course of medication is complete. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Overview of antibiotics.
Merck Manual Consumer Version. Accessed Jan. Steckelberg JM expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Micromedex 2. Buss Preszler LK expert opinion. See also Antibiotic use in agriculture Antibiotics Antibiotics: Are you misusing them? Antibiotics: Not a magic bullet Aspirin allergy Bioidentical hormones: Are they safer?
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