There are many different opinions about the admissibility of using ethyl alcohol in the treatment of bacterial infections. Many people search the Internet for information about what is a myth and what is true. People are usually interested in how long it takes for the active ingredients of antibiotics to leave the body and when they can drink alcohol again after taking the last pill. The question is often asked what consequences taking these two substances at the same time can have. The interest is related to the fact that many people do not want to miss out on enjoying a glass of wine or a bottle of beer with dinner, even while being treated for a bacterial infection.
What are antibiotics?
These are synthetic or natural substances that have a good antimicrobial effect. They are used in the treatment of various infectious processes, since the active ingredients of antibacterial drugs effectively destroy pathogenic microorganisms (bactericidal) or stop their reproduction (bacteriostatic). Some drugs in this group are capable of both effects, depending on the dose taken. The indication for prescribing these drugs is bacterial infections and only a doctor can prescribe them.
The most important condition for effective treatment is strict adherence to all doctor's recommendations. The first priority is to eliminate alcohol during therapy. Many people are confused by this warning. However, therapy with these drugs is prescribed if there is a risk of the disease becoming chronic or serious complications, and it lasts only 5-10 days, a maximum of a week. This is not such a long time to give up alcohol for the sake of 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. In addition, alcoholic beverages should not be drunk together with medications, as their combined intake can lead to disorders of somatic organs and systems. It is worth talking about several reasons that give doctors the right to prohibit patients from drinking alcohol during antibiotic therapy.
Slowing the excretion of half-life products
The mention of alcohol and antibiotics in the same sentence gives many people the impression of fatal consequences in terms of the occurrence of acute side effects. When these two substances are used simultaneously, antibacterial drugs can cause a pronounced disulfiram-like reaction. This reaction consists of the appearance of the following symptoms:
- Colic;
- Tremor;
- nausea;
- Headache;
- facial flushing;
- Stomach cramps;
- Confusion;
- increased sweating;
- increased pulse;
- the feeling of not being able to breathe.
The appearance and intensification of such signs are directly related to the reaction of the antibacterial drug to ethyl alcohol. The pill taken slows down the breakdown of ethanol into safe substances and the dangerous toxin acetaldehyde accumulates in the blood and leads to serious poisoning. For this reason, experts categorically advise against carrying out antibacterial therapy and continuing to drink alcohol.
It is also possible that there may be a false response to treatment. Ethyl alcohol has a braking effect on antibiotics: they lose their effectiveness, which means their protective ability decreases and the body is at the mercy of bacteria.
Increased toxicity
The use of ethyl alcohol to treat infections poses a great danger to the liver. The active components of antibacterial agents can accumulate in the efferent bile ducts and clog them, and alcohol disrupts the process of fatty acid synthesis in hepatocytes. This increased toxic effect leads to disorders in the liver. The negative effect that occurs when the drug and an alcohol-containing 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 required. If this is violated, the disease will prolong. However, drinks containing ethanol lead to a weakening of the immune system in the metabolism, which means that recovery takes a long time to come. In addition, 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 adverse health consequences. Therefore, you should avoid consuming alcoholic beverages during antibiotic therapy.
Ethanol contributes to the disruption of nighttime sleep, which promotes the production of cytokines. These are specific proteins that activate the immune response to pathogens. Their 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. Using both substances at the same time results in one of two possibilities:
Regular alcohol consumption over several days (typical of binge drinking) leads to the opposite. Enzymes break down the drug more quickly, which leads to a reduction in the substance in the body necessary for regeneration. This leads to a slowdown in the healing process and in some cases even to the development of resistance to antibacterial agents.
When a large amount of alcoholic beverages 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 ingredients in the blood. This leads to a slowdown in the healing process and, in some cases, an increase in resistance to antibacterial drugs.
Increased likelihood of developing side effects from medications
Different groups of antibiotics can in some cases cause the following side effects:
- Allergic reactions (e. g. rash);
- Oral candidiasis;
- The appearance of dyspeptic disorders: diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
- The occurrence of dysbiosis due to disruption of the intestinal microflora;
- Acute headaches, dizziness, lack of sleep at night, daytime sleepiness;
- Dysfunction of the cardiovascular system;
- Changes in the urinary organs (rare or frequent urination) and the musculoskeletal system (myalgia and arthralgia).
If a patient drinks an alcoholic beverage while treating a bacterial infection, the likelihood of unpleasant reactions increases. This shows once again that you should not combine taking medication with an alcoholic drink.
How long after stopping the antibiotic can I drink alcohol?
The half-life is at least 2 days after taking the drug. In addition, if the patient has undergone antibiotic therapy, this time is not enough for him. You must wait at least a week before drinking alcohol. This waiting period is necessary so that the patient's body is completely cleared of antibiotic residues and the patient avoids a possible reaction - a disulfiram-like effect. Based on the drug groups, the waiting time is as follows:
- A person who has no history of a chronic disease and has not received chemotherapy or radiation in the past 12 months can drink a small amount of alcohol 24 hours after stopping antibiotic therapy.
- Patients who have been prescribed metronidazole should not drink alcohol for two days after the last injection or tablet.
- After completing tinidazole therapy, the alcohol ban remains in effect for another 72 hours. Patients with a history of hepatitis or liver cirrhosis should avoid alcoholic beverages for at least 2 weeks after completion of antibiotic therapy.
Ethyl alcohol is found in mouthwashes, sprays, natural herbal medicines and dietary supplements. Therefore, the question of whether it makes sense to take it during antibiotic therapy or immediately after its completion should be discussed with your doctor.
What antibacterial drugs can you drink alcohol with?
There are no in-depth studies showing that taking ethanol and medications to relieve bacterial infections at the same time poses a health risk. There was an experiment on rats. It was performed with azithromycin, which belongs to a group of antibiotics used to treat many diseases. The results of the study showed that the effectiveness does not decrease when taken at the same time as alcohol. However, azithromycin itself, a fairly powerful drug, can sometimes cause serious side effects, especially liver damage.
bacteriophage. The simultaneous use of this drug and alcoholic beverages is permitted because the effects of taking them together have not been sufficiently studied. Determining their possible interactions requires time and collected statistics. However, to avoid problems, you should consult your doctor before combining Bacteriophage with alcohol.
There are a number of other medications used to treat bacterial infections that have not been shown to interact negatively with alcohol. The annotations to the 5 most commonly prescribed drugs do not contain contraindications directly related to ethyl alcohol. These include medications that contain the following substances:
- Cephalexin.
- Amoxicillin.
- Ciprofloxacin.
- Azithromycin.
- Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.
You can also take cough and cold medicines that contain ethanol with these antibacterials. However, you need to understand that alcohol, present in the body simultaneously with the active component of antibiotics, can place greater stress on all systems and damage liver tissue. So is it worth taking the risk and mixing these two substances?
Which medications are alcohol prohibited?
There are several antibiotics that can interact directly with ethanol. During treatment it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol in any quantity. These include medications with the following active ingredients:
- Linezolid. The product works against bacteria that are resistant to other types of antibiotics. The medicine is prescribed for skin infections.
- Fluoroquinolones. Their 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 fall into a coma.
- Aminoglycosides. These drugs are also incompatible with other medications, especially drinks containing ethyl alcohol.
- Cycloserine. Used to treat lung infections and tuberculosis. In combination with alcohol, a convulsive syndrome occurs.
- Lincosamides. Antibiotics in this group, when consumed with alcoholic beverages, have a negative effect on the liver and central nervous system.
- Tinidazole 500 mg. An antibacterial drug designed to destroy single-cell pathological microorganisms. Belongs to the group of drugs prescribed to relieve the patient of helicobacteriosis.
- Metronidazole 250 mg. An antimicrobial medicine used to treat vaginal and dental infections. It is added to ointments and gels for the treatment of bedsores and trophic ulcers.
- Cephalosporins cause severe alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol consumed during treatment with these drugs leads to sharp "jumps" in blood pressure. Side effects also occur when the drug is used externally.
What to do if you use it at the same time?
Conscious unwillingness to listen to the doctor's advice or inattention can lead to antibiotics and alcohol entering the stomach at the same time. A person who commits a dangerous mixture does not necessarily feel sick immediately. When such a situation occurs, you need to monitor the condition. If no negative reactions occur, you do not need to see a doctor, 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 carbon 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 has been stopped and explain why and at what time this happened. The doctor will decide whether the dose needs to be adjusted in each individual case.
It is good if you have the opportunity to donate blood for analysis. The results will make it possible to understand whether the combination of an antibacterial drug and ethanol had a negative impact on blood counts. However, if pronounced negative signs from the digestive, cardiovascular or nervous systems appear shortly after a dangerous combination, it is better to call an ambulance. This is especially true for people with a history of allergies or diabetes, as their body may react unpredictably due to increased sensitivity.
It must be remembered that the combined intake of alcohol and antibiotics is very dangerous, as it provokes an increased load on the somatic organs, especially the liver. You can drink some alcohol once as it does not have any dangerous consequences or side effects. But it is better to first take antibiotic therapy and then relax.