Are antibiotics and alcohol compatible, in which cases is the risk of this combination justified and when is it excessive? We answer this question in our article.
Sometimes antibiotics are unavoidable. They are prescribed for a variety of diseases, and often it happens completely "at the wrong time": on the eve of a long-awaited celebration or, for example, a company party.
In such a situation, some are bored at the festive table, categorically refuse even a glass of wine or a sip of beer, while others decide to interrupt the antibiotic treatment because they are sure that they are doing much less harm to their own bodies.
Let's make a reservation right away: Skipping a dose or two of a drug can ruin the effectiveness of the treatment, and irregular use of an antibiotic makes the pathogen more resistant to its effects and only worsens the problem. To defeat the bacteria "hardened" by these experiments, you will need to increase the dose or prescribe a stronger drug.
And what if you have a glass of wine or a little beer on the background of antibacterial treatment? Most likely nothing. According to British scientists quoted by the Russian Air Force, alcohol does not affect the effects of the most commonly used antibiotics in any way. They are neutral to each other, which means that unpleasant "side effects" are of course not to be expected from such a combination, if it is only a glass of wine and it is not a matter of drugs that should not be mixed with alcohol in any amountwill.
In order to understand all the risks associated with the simultaneous use of drugs, including antibiotics, with alcohol, you should carefully read the instructions and make sure that it does not include this very point.
Which antibiotics are best not to be combined with alcohol?
It is not worth taking the risk and consuming alcohol during treatment with antibiotics, which belong to this class, as a number of studies confirm that ethanol weakens their effects.
It should also be taken into account that the substances metronidazole and tinidazole enter into a chemical reaction with alcohol and intensify its liver-toxic effect. However, the data on this score is rather contradicting, but is it worth the risk?
Some members of the cephalosporin group slow down the breakdown of ethanol, thereby triggering a disulfiram reaction. These drugs block enzymes that help break down acetaldehyde, which eventually builds up in the body, causing headaches, nausea, tachycardia, shortness of breath, convulsions, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
A similar reaction can also be caused by some bacteriostatic antibiotics, according to some reports, but these have not been used as often recently. The combination of alcohol and antifungal drugs is dangerous.
Alcohol and some antibiotics can not only ruin the entire therapy, but also damage it
Long-term use of antibiotics and alcohol
At the same time, it's important to understand that many antibiotics, including erythromycin, rifampicin, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, nitrofurans, and lincomycin, build up in high concentrations in the bile with prolonged use and can cause toxic liver damage over time. As the main organ of detoxification, it itself mainly suffers from the side effects of drugs. And although such phenomena as cholestatic hepatitis and even fatty infiltration of liver cells are usually temporary, it is still not worth adding an extreme to this important organ that has to work with a double burden when it is necessary to metabolize both drugs and alcohol.
Avoiding alcohol is the best option for most drugs.
Another argument in favor of avoiding alcohol during antibiotic treatment is ethanol's ability to cause dehydration and slow the overall healing process.
What are antibiotics not yet combined with?
The matter is not limited to just abstaining from alcohol while taking antibiotics, however. An important role is played by what other medications a person is taking and even what to drink with the medication they are taking.
For example, a glass of milk drunk with an antibiotic pill or a piece of curd cheese can negate all the benefits of the drug. Penicillins and tetracyclines, which form stable chelate complexes with calcium, are worst combined with dairy products. However, it is perfectly acceptable to drink erythromycin with milk.
Antibiotics are not combined with tea, coffee, lemonade, fruits and fruit juices, or with foods containing vinegar.
You need to periodically take the antibiotic strictly according to the instructions. Unless the matter is limited to taking one medication, care should be taken to ensure that the medications do not conflict with each other. Of course, a qualified doctor will not prescribe incompatible medication, but he may not even know that you are currently being treated by another specialist and are taking the pills he has prescribed.
For example, the substance cholestyramine and enterosorbent preparations reduce their absorption at the same time as antibiotics. Taking erythromycin with oral contraceptives can lead to intrahepatic cholestasis, and some antibiotics can make oral contraceptives less effective.
The combination of cephalosporins with thrombolytics is dangerous because of the risk of bleeding, and macrolides and fluoroquinolones can increase the toxic effects of theophylline.
The combination of alcohol and a number of drugs can be fatal
Which drugs are dangerous to combine with alcohol?
Do not combine pain relievers, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, diuretics, antipyretics, cardiovascular drugs, anticoagulants, pain relievers, antihistamines, and sleeping pills, or oral contraceptives with alcohol. In either case, the undesirable side effects are different and sometimes quite dangerous.
In conclusion, we note: so that there are no problems with antibiotics, carefully read the instructions. And of course, you shouldn't make the decision to drink antibiotics yourself. Your doctor should prescribe them. Self-medication is fraught with serious health problems.