All people get sick regularly and many of them have to resort to taking antibiotics.There is a widespread opinion in society that these drugs are incompatible with alcohol.But what to do if the duration of treatment coincides with the holidays?Where is the truth and where are the legends in our ideas about the interaction of antibiotics with alcoholic beverages?
Antibiotics and alcohol
Antibiotics are drugs used to fight bacteria.They penetrate pathogenic microorganisms or interfere with their metabolism and bring it to a complete or partial standstill.
Doctors still have different opinions on the question of the compatibility of antibiotics with alcohol and when you can drink after therapy.There are many doctors who strongly recommend patients to completely avoid alcoholic beverages during therapy in order to avoid the consequences of taking an antibiotic and alcohol at the same time.They explain this by the fact that these drugs, together with ethanol, destroy the liver and negate the effectiveness of the treatment.
To date, many studies have been carried out, the results of which allow us to confidently assert that the pharmacological effect of most antibiotics does not worsen under the influence of alcohol and the load on the liver does not increase.
However, alcohol itself causes poisoning and dehydration.If you take antibiotics along with large doses of alcohol, the body will be weakened and in this case, of course, the effectiveness of the treatment will decrease.
There are also a number of antibiotics that react with ethanol in a disulfiram-like reaction.Their simultaneous use with alcohol is contraindicated, as it leads to intoxication with nausea and vomiting, as well as convulsions.In very rare cases, death can occur.
Myths and reality
Historically, society has developed myths about complications following alcohol consumption during antibiotic treatment.
The main myths are as follows:
- Alcohol neutralizes the effects of antibiotics.
- Alcohol combined with antibiotics increases liver damage.
- Alcoholic drinks reduce the effectiveness of experimental therapy.
In fact, these theses are only partially true, which is confirmed by the results of numerous compatibility studies.In particular, the available data suggest that the consumption of alcoholic beverages does not affect the pharmacokinetics of most antibiotics in any way.
At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, there was a lot of research into the combined effects of antibacterial drugs and alcohol.Humans and laboratory animals were involved in the experiments.The results of antibiotic therapy were the same in the experimental and control groups, but no significant differences were found in the absorption, distribution and excretion of the active ingredients of the drugs from the body.Data from these studies showed that it is possible to drink alcohol while taking antibiotics.
Back in 1982, Finnish scientists conducted a series of experiments with volunteers, the results of which showed that antibiotics of the penicillin group do not react in any way with ethanol;Therefore, they can be consumed with alcohol.In 1988, Spanish researchers tested amoxicillin for its compatibility with alcohol: a group of test subjects showed only minor changes in the rate of absorption of the substance and the retention time.
It was also found that the pharmacokinetic parameters of some antibiotics, for example, the tetracycline group, are significantly reduced under the influence of alcohol.However, fewer drugs with this effect have been identified.
The common belief that alcohol and alcoholic beverages increase liver damage has also been refuted by scientists around the world.More specifically, alcohol can increase the hepatoxicity of antibacterial drugs, but only in very rare cases.This fact is rather an exception to the rule.
Scientists have also demonstrated that ethanol has no effect on antibiotics used to treat experimental pneumococcal infections in laboratory rats.
Reasons for incompatibility
Although the safety of taking most antibiotics with alcohol has been established, there are a number of drugs that are incompatible with alcohol.These are medicines whose active ingredients undergo a disulfiram-like reaction with ethyl alcohol - especially nitroimidazoles and cephalosporins.
The reason why you cannot take antibiotics and alcohol at the same time is because the above drugs contain specific molecules that can alter ethanol metabolism.This results in a delayed excretion of acetaldehyde, which accumulates in the body and leads to poisoning.
The process is accompanied by characteristic symptoms:
- severe headache;
- rapid heartbeat;
- nausea with vomiting;
- Heat in the face, neck, chest area;
- difficulty breathing;
- cramps.
When coding alcoholism, a disulfiram-like reaction is used, but this method should only be used under the strict supervision of a specialist.Poisoning during treatment with nitroimidazoles and cephalosporins can be caused by even a small dose of alcohol.In this case, alcohol abuse can lead to death.
Doctors allow small amounts of alcohol during treatment with penicillins, antifungals and some broad-spectrum antibiotics.A portion of fortified drink while taking these medications does not affect the effectiveness of therapy and does not cause negative health consequences.
When is it possible?
Although it's OK to drink alcohol while taking most antibiotics, taking them at the same time is not OK.The best way to take such drugs is indicated in the instructions for use.
For example, the effectiveness of erythromycin and tetracyclines is increased by drinking alkaline mineral water, as well as drinking sulfonamides, indomethacin and reserpine with milk.
If the antibiotic does not cause a disulfiram-like reaction with ethanol, you can drink alcohol, but not earlier than 4 hours after taking the drug.This is the minimum time for which antibiotics circulate in the blood, and therefore the answer to the question of how long you can drink after taking the drug.
In any case, you can only consume a small dose of alcohol during the treatment period, otherwise the body will begin to dehydrate and the antibacterial drug will simply be excreted in the urine.
The combination of alcohol with an antibacterial composition is dangerous for the body.Knowing how long you can drink alcohol after taking the drug will help eliminate all possible side effects.
Conclusions
The myth about the incompatibility of antibiotics and alcohol appeared in the last century and there are several hypotheses about the reasons for its occurrence.According to one of them, the authorship of the legend lies with venereologists who wanted to warn their patients about drunkenness.
There is also an assumption that the myth was invented by European doctors.Penicillin was a rare drug in the 1940s, and soldiers liked to drink beer, which has a diuretic effect and removes the drug from the body.
It has now been proven that alcohol does not impair the effectiveness of antibiotics in most cases and does not increase liver damage.If the active ingredients of the drug do not enter into a disulfiram-like reaction with ethanol, you can drink alcohol during treatment.However, you should follow two main rules: do not abuse alcohol and do not take antibiotics.