If you’re taking antibiotics, it’s likely that you are fighting an infection. Sometimes, you’ll feel sick and not want to do much of anything. But other times, the antibiotics may work quickly, and you’ll feel better even though you still have several days worth of antibiotics left to finish the course. With newly improved health, it may be tempting to want to go out, do things and drink alcohol. But can you drink on antibiotics? 

Dr. Neha Narula, a family medicine physician with Stanford Healthcare, says this is a question doctors get often. 

She says, generally, drinking while on antibiotics is not recommended. It may not be the news you wanted to hear, but your body will thank you for it later. 

What happens if you drink when taking antibiotics? 

Narula advises against drinking while taking antibiotics for a few reasons. 

• You need your immune system performing at its best to fight off the infection. “If you have an active bacterial infection requiring antibiotics, we really want your immune system and body to be fully equipped to fight off this infection with proper rest and nutrition. Adding alcohol into the mix can negatively impact the body’s natural ability to fight off the infection and slow down the recovery time,” explains Narula. 
• An increased risk of side effects. Narula explains, “Consuming alcohol while on antibiotics can result in an increased risk of side effects, including gastrointestinal symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramping.
• With some antibiotics, drinking is particularly dangerous. Narula says, “There are certain antibiotics for which alcohol use is absolutely contraindicated. Whereas, some antibiotics do not interact with alcohol and these can be taken safely. It’s always best to ask your medical provider to review your own personal medical history and comment on the safety of using alcohol while you’re being treated.” 

What to avoid while on antibiotics

Besides alcohol, there are a few other things you should avoid while taking antibiotics. Narula says that specific guidelines are given to an individual patient and depend on the specific antibiotic as well as their personal medical history. But she also provided some general guidelines for everyone taking an antibiotic: 

• Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice. “It can cause a change in the levels of antibiotic reaching the bloodstream due to grapefruit causing an interaction in the way certain antibiotics are metabolized,” Narula explains. 
• Avoid herbs and supplements that have not been approved by your physician. Some herbs and supplements can reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic or cause increased side effects. 
• Avoid dairy products or antacids within two hours of taking your medication. Dairy products or antacids may contain calcium, aluminum, iron or magnesium – which may decrease absorption of the medication when they bind with the antibiotic in the gastrointestinal tract. 

In short, it’s probably better to rest and let your body heal rather than drink while you are on antibiotics. 

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