# Antibiotics and Alcohol... is it a myth?



## MontyVeda (31 Dec 2021)

Over the years I heard many a person say that if you're on antibiotics, you must avoid alcohol otherwise the antibiotics won't work.

However, the last time i was put on antibiotics (for a minor skin condition)... the Doc made no mention of avoiding alcohol.

And this week, having another course of strong antibiotics... no mention of alcohol by the Docs and nothing about alcohol in the advice sheets for the ones I'm on.

So... is not mixing antibiotics and alcohol just an urban myth, or is it only certain types of antibiotics that I'm yet to encounter?


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## dan_bo (31 Dec 2021)

Don't try it and find out eh


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## Dogtrousers (31 Dec 2021)

Have a look at the paper that comes with the medication. That will let you know of things to avoid, side effects, stuff like that.


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## MontyVeda (31 Dec 2021)

Dogtrousers said:


> Have a look at the paper that comes with the medication. That will let you know of things to avoid, side effects, stuff like that.





MontyVeda said:


> ... this week, having another course of strong antibiotics... no mention of alcohol by the Docs and *nothing about alcohol in the advice sheets* ...


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## oldwheels (31 Dec 2021)

Pal had an injury of some kind and was on a high dose of antibiotics and was told by medics to cut out alcohol while taking them.
I got “ bitten” on the back of my leg by the pedal of my Brompton as it toppled over and got me unawares. After a few days I thought it advisably to get medical advice and was immediately given a very high dose of antibiotic. No mention of alcohol avoidance.


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## classic33 (31 Dec 2021)

Quick check shows that alcohol can make any side effects of the antibiotics worse, due it seems to the side effects of both being similar.

Drinking in moderation seems to be okay.


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## Dogtrousers (31 Dec 2021)

@MontyVeda apols for not reading your post properly.

"Antibiotics" aren't a single drug, there are all kinds of antibiotics that act by different mechanisms, and have different interactions with other drugs. So it could be that the particular drug you are taking doesn't interact with alcohol. 

However, I'd check with the doc before taking alcohol. If there's something wrong with you booze will not do it any good and may well make it worse.


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## cougie uk (31 Dec 2021)

Surely it's different for different drugs ? 

Mate of mine did drink on antibiotics and pooed himself but who knows how much was drink and how much antibiotics.


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## MontyVeda (31 Dec 2021)

Just for a point of clarity... i'm not planning on getting pi$$ed tonight... just curious about the antibiotics vs alcohol thing since both times i've been given them, there's been no mention of avoiding alcohol, yet the general 'bloke on the street' advice is to avoid it like the plague.


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## berty bassett (31 Dec 2021)

Being young and stupid in the eighties I was put on antibiotics this time of year and went out on the lash nye- lasted until about 8pm before I turned an amazing crimson colour and had to retire with heart going mad - don’t know if it was mixing the 2 but haven’t done it since - no idea what the antibiotics were


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## Tenkaykev (31 Dec 2021)

Depends on the particular antibiotic prescribed. Some are ok, some aren’t so read the data sheet


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## classic33 (31 Dec 2021)

MontyVeda said:


> Just for a point of clarity... i'm not planning on getting pi$$ed tonight... just curious about the antibiotics vs alcohol thing since both times i've been given them, there's been no mention of avoiding alcohol, yet the general 'bloke on the street' advice is to avoid it like the plague.


That seems to be a common message for any medication. Two seperate lots being taken carry the same warning. Similar warnings* on the other 31 taken.

* Alcohol can increase the side effects of the medication.


I'll bow to the better qualified advice given below.


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## steverob (31 Dec 2021)

According to my other half (registered pharmacy technician) there are two families of antibiotic that you should NOT drink alcohol with, but it's more because it'll likely make you feel extermely nauseous rather than it causing them to not work properly - these are metronidazole and tinidazole. There are also two others where it is recommended you don't drink too much while taking as those *may* be affected by alcohol (she says that with the disclaimer that current studies are not 100% sure that this is the case) - which are linezolid and doxycycline.

Everything else should not be affected, although it is still recommend only to drink in moderation of course...


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## Drago (31 Dec 2021)

AB's + alcohol = a fair chance of the squits. Not nice, but I don't think its fatal.


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## vickster (31 Dec 2021)

Tenkaykev said:


> Depends on the particular antibiotic prescribed. Some are ok, some aren’t so read the data sheet


This.
Metronidazole and alcohol for example do not mix as above


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## DCBassman (3 Jan 2022)

The myth came about from the British military in Singapore etc. However, my explanation may also be apocryphal, but here goes...
Soldiers picking up the then-easily-treatable clap were prescribed penicillin. They were told not to drink because it affected the drugs, but in reality, they were being told not to drink in the probably vain hope that they'd not end up with yet more clap...
As stated above, some of the more unusual antibiotics DO react badly with alcohol, but they greatly post-date the original reason/myth.


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## midlife (3 Jan 2022)

Aside from metronidazole / antabuse etc Antibiotics usually excreted via urine, drinking lots of beer increases urinary output and so the antibiotic goes down the loo. There's a drug that reduces the effect, probenecid iirc from many years ago.


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## Dogtrousers (3 Jan 2022)

DCBassman said:


> The myth came about from the British military in Singapore etc.


That sounds like one of those mythical stories that Snopes is debunked on Snopes and other sites. Like "did you know Cheese is actually an acronym of ...".

As noted above, some antibiotics interact with alcohol, some don't. Read the data sheet and if in doubt ask your GP.


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## raleighnut (3 Jan 2022)

DCBassman said:


> The myth came about from the British military in Singapore etc. However, my explanation may also be apocryphal, but here goes...
> Soldiers picking up the then-easily-treatable clap were prescribed penicillin. They were told not to drink because it affected the drugs, but in reality, they were being told not to drink in the probably vain hope that they'd not end up with yet more clap...
> As stated above, some of the more unusual antibiotics DO react badly with alcohol, but they greatly post-date the original reason/myth.


Correct.


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## Profpointy (3 Jan 2022)

MontyVeda said:


> Over the years I heard many a person say that if you're on antibiotics, you must avoid alcohol otherwise the antibiotics won't work.
> 
> However, the last time i was put on antibiotics (for a minor skin condition)... the Doc made no mention of avoiding alcohol.
> 
> ...



It certainly is not a myth. A pal of mine was prescribed a certain antibiotic for an eye infection and was told not to drink alcohol. A few days or a week later the infection had more or less gone and he forgot the advice and had a half with his lunch end ended up as high as a kite as it was a very bad combination. He was a guy who did enjoy a drink but he did without till he was finished with the pills. This may or may not apply to every antibiotic and I half recall with some antibiotics alcohol may make them ineffective, but from my mate's experience, the ones he took disagreed badly with alcohol.


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## MontyVeda (3 Jan 2022)

Profpointy said:


> It certainly is not a myth. ...


going by the knowledgeable replies to this thread... the blanket '_don't drink alcohol with antibiotics_' advice is a myth. It's certain antibiotics and certainly not all of them.


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## PK99 (4 Feb 2022)

I was banned from alcohol for 10 days while taking antibiotics for a dental imfection

*Metronidazole* is a nitroimidazole antibiotic that doctors prescribe *to treat a*bdominal infections, sexually transmitted infections, and other *anaerobic bacteria-related infections.

Metronidazole affects the function of a key enzyme that helps the body digest alcohol*. When metronidazole inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase, *the levels of acetaldehyde accumulate in the blood. This causes the toxic effects of alcohol.*

Mixing alcohol with metronidazole may cause:


abdominal cramping
nausea
vomiting
headaches
facial flushing
People should avoid drinking alcohol during treatment and for up to 3 days after the last dose.

Despite this interaction, not everyone will experience these reactions when drinking while taking metronidazole. An individual risk is possible. Still, people should avoid drinking alcohol while taking metronidazole.


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## vickster (4 Feb 2022)

Hopefully @MontyVeda is recovered now from the infection after over a month


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## MontyVeda (4 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> Hopefully @MontyVeda is recovered now from the infection after over a month


I have thanks but this thread was unrelated to that


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## ebikeerwidnes (4 Feb 2022)

Many years ago I had a bad tooth and the dentist gave me a prescription for some antibiotics
He told me that normally ABs and alcohol are OK
BUT DO NOT DRINK ANY ALCOHOL when taking these ones!!!

I checked with the pharmacist and he said the same thing - 

I have also checked with a GP 

basically - it depends on the AB - but if they say do not drink
don't drink


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## vickster (4 Feb 2022)

MontyVeda said:


> I have thanks but this thread was unrelated to that


Except in your first post you said... And this week, having another course of strong antibiotics... no mention of alcohol by the Docs and nothing about alcohol in the advice sheets for the ones I'm on.


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## MontyVeda (4 Feb 2022)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> ...
> I checked with the pharmacist and he said the same thing -
> 
> I have also checked with a GP
> ...


Did you check the advice on the ABs themselves?


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## MontyVeda (4 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> Except in your first post you said... And this week, having another course of strong antibiotics... no mention of alcohol by the Docs and nothing about alcohol in the advice sheets for the ones I'm on.


Which raised a point of interest... is the antibiotics/alcohol thing a myth 

...i wasn't trying to find out of i could ignore the advice (as some presumed).


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## vickster (4 Feb 2022)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Many years ago I had a bad tooth and the dentist gave me a prescription for some antibiotics
> He told me that normally ABs and alcohol are OK
> BUT DO NOT DRINK ANY ALCOHOL when taking these ones!!!
> 
> ...


That would apply to each and every medication that says do not drink in the PiL/on the packet (if it says 'avoid alcohol' that would be a sensible course of action too)


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## vickster (4 Feb 2022)

MontyVeda said:


> Which raised a point of interest... is the antibiotics/alcohol thing a myth


no, it's not as this thread has shown


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## MontyVeda (4 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> no, it's not as this thread has shown


i think we worked that out by post #11


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## vickster (4 Feb 2022)

MontyVeda said:


> i think we worked that out by post #11


Indeed, but thread got bumped after a month of sleep


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## presta (4 Feb 2022)

PK99 said:


> I was banned from alcohol for 10 days while taking antibiotics for a dental imfection
> 
> *Metronidazole* is a nitroimidazole antibiotic that doctors prescribe *to treat a*bdominal infections, sexually transmitted infections, and other *anaerobic bacteria-related infections.
> 
> ...


I took metronidazole after bowel surgery nine years ago, and was warned against drinking alcohol. I had some surreal dreams whilst I was on that stuff which were quite good fun, but another side effect was a mouth that tasted like it was full of rotting teeth.


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## PK99 (4 Feb 2022)

vickster said:


> no, it's not as this thread has shown



The idea that Antibiotics = no alcohol *is* a myth.

*Some* antibiotics = no alcohol is correct. Primarily those dealing with anaerobic infections (chiefly teeth and gums, intestines and ladies plumbing)

I take regular (3/7) prophylactic azithromycin with no restrictions, and have a rescue pack of Moxifloxacin (a heavy-duty AB) for which the guidance is "not to excess"


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