Does alcohol lessen the effects of antibiotics?

Answer 1

That's what my doctor has always told me, but thanks to your question I just did a little research and it seems that is only true for certain medications, such as anti-fungals.

Here is a reference from June of 2004:

http://www.antibioticresistance.org.uk/ARFAQs.nsf/0/C2E63418D2370AED80256EBA004D9B3D?OpenDocument
Despite a commonly held belief that antibiotics and alcohol don't mix, it is only necessary to avoid drinking alcohol when taking some types of antibiotics. These include metronidazole, cephamandole and oral ketoconazole. See the following recommendations from GP notebook for more details. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist when you are given your prescription.

The famous Dr. Andrew Weil has this to say:

http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA326593/

Do Alcohol and Antibiotics Mix?

Does drinking while taking antibiotics lessen the effect of the medication?

A widespread myth holds that you shouldn't drink alcohol while taking antibiotics, but in fact, drinking doesn't lessen the effects of the drugs. However, alcohol can lower your general energy and delay your recovery so it is best to minimize drinking until you've finished the prescribed course of antibiotic treatment. (Beyond that, chronic liver damage from excessive alcohol consumption can affect the metabolism and toxicity of antibiotics.)

There are other precautions you should take when on antibiotics. Antibiotics not only kill harmful bacteria that are making you sick, they also destroy the beneficial flora in your gut and can promote the development of resistant organisms in your body. To restore the helpful organisms, be sure to take supplemental acidophilus while you're on antibiotics. Acidophilus is the general name for dried or liquid cultures of the living lactobacillus bacteria that aid digestion. Always check the expiration date to help ensure that the acidophilus product you choose is still viable. Take one tablespoon of the liquid culture advertisement

or one to two capsules after meals, unless the label directs otherwise. I recommend taking acidophilus to restore "friendly" cultures even when on antibiotics for just a few days. And I particularly recommend products containing lactobacillus GG, a strain proven to survive passage through the strong acid in the stomach. (Visit Culterelle for more information: http://www.culturelle.com/)

Answer 2

It's not so much that alcohol lessens the effectiveness of the antibiotics, but it can cause other issues. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and oftentimes, the infection being treated with the antibiotics is something that requires adequate hydration (i.e. a sinus infection). By dehydrating the body, the infection will not clear up as quickly.

Also, many times there can be drug interactions (alcohol is a drug), such as indigestion or even ulcers.

It's best to just read the labels on your medications, and adhere to them. If your prescribing physician says to avoid alcohol while you're on the antibiotics, it's easy enough to do so in order to ensure getting healthy quickly!

Answer 3

I wouldn't necessarily say that alcohol lessens the affects of antibiotics, but mixing the two can possibly cause complications. It all depends on what the antibiotic is. They typically suggest not mixing meds with alcohol because it could cause a chemical reaction resulting in other medical problems (nausea, dizziness, vomiting, etc.). Just don't mix the two.

Answer 4

Yes! I made the biggest misteak in my life with that. First of all, you need to wait till' the infection heals before you worry about partying. If you CAN'T do that, it's proof that you have an alcohol problem. Not being willing or able to delay, much less stop alcohol use when there is a good reason is always, without exception, a symptom of a problem.

Answer 5

Alcohol can neutralize an antibiotic. At the soaring price of antibiotics, I'm sure you would not want to pay for and take an antibiotic that is neutralized by alcohol!

Answer 6

I would imagine so. Antibiotics, if I miss my guess correctly, are an extract of varying strengths of bread molds.

I know drinking any quantity of wine, dinner or whatever will obliterate your B vitamin reserves. Your body can't store C vitamins.

Check with the Sawbones if you're on a prescription for same. You should finish out the given course even if you start to feel better.

Answer 7

yes. Alchol kills the bacteria wich is the antibiotics therefore making the antibiotics practically useless. So why spend money on antibiotics if your just gonna kill them with alchol.? Right? Just wait out the week And get better and then have a drink for me

Answer 8

Antibiotics have a cycle to function. When you drink alcohol, the cycle breaks and you lose the work they have done before. With the next pill you take, the cycle begins again.

Answer 9

Well, it lessens the effects of your brain, so it only stands to reason that it would kill anything else.

Answer 10

Yes in some cases like on stimulants for instance, but on depressents it greatens the effect.