There are many different opinions regarding the admissibility of using ethyl alcohol in the treatment of bacterial infections. Many people look for information about what is myth and what is true on the Internet. People are often interested in how long it takes for the active components of antibiotics to leave the body and when they can drink alcohol after taking the last pill. Questions are often asked about what consequences may occur if these two substances are taken at the same time. Interest is associated with the reluctance of many people, even during treatment for a bacterial infection, to deny themselves the pleasure of drinking a glass of wine or a bottle of beer with dinner.
What are antibiotics
They are synthetic or natural substances that have a good antimicrobial effect. They are used in the treatment of various infectious processes, since the active components of antibacterial drugs effectively destroy pathogenic microorganisms (bactericidal) or stop their reproduction (bacteriostatic). Some medications in this group are capable of both actions, depending on the dose taken. The indications for prescribing these medications are bacterial infections and only a doctor can prescribe them.
The main condition for effective treatment is strict adherence to all doctor's recommendations. Eliminating alcohol during the therapeutic course comes first. Many people are confused by this warning. But a course of therapy with these drugs is prescribed when there is a threat of the disease becoming chronic or developing serious complications, and lasts only 5-10 days, maximum a week. This is not such a long period to sacrifice alcohol for the sake of your health.
Why don't doctors recommend alcohol during antibacterial therapy?
Doctors strongly advise against drinking alcohol if the patient is being treated for a bacterial infection. Furthermore, alcoholic beverages should not be consumed with any medication, as their combined use can cause disorders of organs and somatic systems. It is worth talking about several reasons that give doctors the right to prohibit patients from consuming alcohol during antibiotic treatment.
Delaying elimination of half-life products
The mention of alcohol and antibiotics in the same sentence causes many people to have fatal consequences in their thoughts regarding the occurrence of acute side effects. With the simultaneous use of these 2 substances, antibacterial drugs can provoke a pronounced disulfiram-like reaction. This reaction consists of the appearance of the following symptoms:
- colic;
- tremor;
- nausea;
- headache;
- facial redness;
- stomach pain;
- confusion;
- increased sweating;
- increased heart rate;
- feeling like you can't breathe.
The appearance and intensification of such signs are directly related to the reaction of the antibacterial to ethyl alcohol. The pill taken slows down the decomposition of ethanol into safe substances, and the dangerous toxin acetaldehyde accumulates in the blood, causing serious poisoning. That is why experts categorically do not recommend taking antibacterial therapy and continuing to drink alcohol.
It is also possible for an incorrect response to treatment to occur. Ethyl alcohol has a retardant effect on antibiotics: they lose their activity, which leads to a decrease in their protective capabilities, and the body is at the mercy of bacteria.
Increased toxicity
The use of ethyl alcohol in the treatment of infections poses a great threat to the liver. The active components of antibacterial agents can accumulate in the efferent bile ducts, obstructing them, and alcohol interferes with the process of fatty acid synthesis that occurs in hepatocytes. This increased toxic effect causes liver disorders. The negative effect that occurs when the drug and an alcoholic drink are combined affects other vital organs. Most often they suffer:
- kidneys;
- brain;
- the cardiovascular system;
- Gastrointestinal tract.
Weakening of the immune system
To deal with an infection, an immune response is needed. If it is violated, the disease will drag on. However, drinks containing ethanol during metabolism lead to a weakening of the defense system, so recovery will have to wait a long time. Additionally, the following negative phenomena occur:
The simultaneous use of antibiotics and alcohol leads to a decrease in the therapeutic effect and provokes the development of harmful health consequences. Therefore, when taking a course of antibiotic therapy, you should forget about drinking alcohol-containing drinks.
Ethanol contributes to nighttime sleep disturbance, which promotes the production of cytokines. These are specific proteins that activate the immune response to pathogens. Its deficiency leads to a slowdown in the functioning of the immune system.
Reduced therapeutic effect of antibacterial drugs
The liver breaks down antibiotics and ethyl alcohol using special enzymes (proteins) - acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase. If you use both substances at the same time, the result will be one of two options:
Regular consumption of alcohol over several days (a typical situation of excessive alcohol consumption) causes the opposite situation. Enzymes break down the medicine more quickly, resulting in a decrease in the substance needed for recovery in the body. This causes a slowdown in the healing process and, in some cases, even leads to the development of resistance to antibacterial agents.
When a large amount of alcohol consumed in a short period of time enters the body, liver enzymes begin to metabolize ethanol and the breakdown of the drug slows down. The result of this is a rapid increase in the amount of active medicinal components in the blood. This leads to a slowdown in the healing process and, in some cases, causes an increase in resistance to antibacterials.
More likely to develop medication side effects
Different groups of antibiotics, in some cases, can cause the following side effects:
- Allergic reactions (e. g. skin rash);
- Oral candidiasis;
- The appearance of dyspeptic disorders: diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
- The occurrence of dysbiosis due to disruption of the intestinal microflora;
- Acute headache, dizziness, lack of nighttime sleep, daytime drowsiness;
- Disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
- Changes in the urinary organs (rare or frequent urination) and in the musculoskeletal system (myalgia and arthralgia).
If a patient drinks a drink containing alcohol during treatment for a bacterial infection, the likelihood of unpleasant reactions increases. This demonstrates once again that you should not combine the use of medicines with a drink that contains alcohol.
How long after stopping antibiotics can I drink alcohol?
The half-life is at least 2 days after consuming the medicine. Furthermore, if the patient has already undergone antibiotic therapy, this time is not enough for him. You need to wait at least a week before drinking alcohol. This waiting period is necessary for the patient's body to be completely free of antibiotic residues and for the patient to avoid a possible reaction - an effect similar to disulfiram. Based on drug groups, the waiting time is as follows:
- A person who has no history of chronic illness and has not had chemotherapy or radiation therapy in the last 12 months can drink a small amount of alcohol 24 hours after finishing antibiotic therapy.
- Patients prescribed Metronidazole should avoid drinking alcohol for 2 days after the last injection or tablet.
- After completing the course of Tinidazole therapy, alcohol remains prohibited for another 72 hours. Patients with a history of hepatitis or cirrhosis should avoid alcoholic beverages for at least 2 weeks after the end of antibiotic therapy.
Ethyl alcohol can be found in mouthwashes, sprays, natural herbal medicines, and dietary supplements. Therefore, the question of the advisability of taking them during a course of antibiotic therapy or immediately after its end should be discussed with your doctor.
What antibacterial drugs can you drink alcohol with?
There have been no in-depth studies that confirm that the simultaneous use of ethanol and medications that alleviate bacterial infections poses a threat to health. There was an experiment on rats. It was made with azithromycin, which is part of a group of antibiotics used to treat various diseases. Study results showed that its effectiveness does not decrease when taken together with alcohol. However, sometimes azithromycin itself, which is a very strong medicine, can cause serious side effects, in particular liver damage.
Bacteriophage. It is allowed to take this medicine and alcoholic beverages together, as the effects of their simultaneous use have not been sufficiently studied. To determine their possible interactions, time and accumulated statistics are needed. However, to avoid problems, before combining Bacteriophage with alcohol, you should consult your doctor.
There are several other medications for treating bacterial infections that have not been shown to have a negative interaction with alcohol. The annotations to the 5 most commonly prescribed medications do not contain contraindications directly related to ethyl alcohol. These include medicines that contain the following substances:
- Cephalexin.
- Amoxicillin.
- Ciprofloxacin.
- Azithromycin.
- Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid.
You can also take cough and cold medicines containing ethanol with these antibacterial agents. However, it is necessary to understand that alcohol that is in the body simultaneously with the active component of antibiotics can increase the load on all systems and provoke damage to liver tissues. So is it worth taking the risk and mixing these 2 substances?
With which medications is alcohol prohibited?
There are several antibiotics that can interact directly with ethanol. During treatment, it is strictly prohibited to consume alcohol in any quantity. These include medicines with the following active ingredients:
- Linezolid. The product is effective against bacteria resistant to other types of antibiotics. The medicine is prescribed for skin infections.
- Fluoroquinolones. Its combination with alcohol is very dangerous due to the direct effect of the drug on the central nervous system. A patient who makes a mistake can end up in a coma.
- Aminoglycosides. These medicines are incompatible even with other medicines, especially with drinks containing ethyl alcohol.
- Cycloserine. Used in the treatment of lung infections and tuberculosis. In combination with alcohol it leads to the appearance of convulsive syndrome.
- Lincosamides. Antibiotics from this group, when consumed with alcoholic beverages, have a negative effect on the liver and central nervous system.
- Tinidazole 500 mg. An antibacterial drug used to destroy single-celled pathological microorganisms. Included in the group of medications prescribed to relieve patients with Helicobacteriosis.
- Metronidazole 250 mg. Antimicrobial medication used to treat vaginal and dental infections. It is added to ointments and gels used to treat bedsores and trophic ulcers.
- Cephalosporins cause severe alcohol intoxication.
Alcohol consumed during treatment with these drugs causes sharp "jumps" in blood pressure. Adverse reactions occur even when the medicine is applied externally.
What to do in case of simultaneous use?
Conscious reluctance to listen to the doctor's advice or inattention can create a situation where antibiotics and alcohol enter the stomach at the same time. A person who commits a dangerous mixture does not necessarily feel bad immediately. If such a situation occurs, you will need to monitor the condition. If negative reactions do not appear, you do not need to seek medical help, but help yourself:
- Drink 1. 5-2 liters of a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Induce artificial vomiting.
- Take enterosorbent (you can finely grind activated charcoal and dilute it in water at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight).
- Call your doctor and tell him that the last pill was taken and explain why and at what time this happened. The doctor will decide whether the dose needs to be adjusted in a specific case.
It's good if you have the opportunity to donate blood for analysis. Its results will allow us to understand whether the combination of an antibacterial and ethanol had a negative effect on the blood count. But if, immediately after a dangerous combination, pronounced negative signs appear from the digestive, cardiovascular or nervous system, it is better to call an ambulance. This is especially true for people with a history of allergies or diabetes, as their bodies can react in unpredictable ways due to increased sensitivity.
It must be remembered that the combined use of alcohol and antibiotics is very dangerous, as it causes an increase in the load on somatic organs, especially the liver. You can drink some alcohol once as it will not cause any dangerous consequences or side effects. But it's better to take a course of antibiotics first and then relax.