Since the discovery of penicillin in the 1920s, antibiotics have saved countless lives. But if your doctor prescribes one of these meds to you, be sure you understand exactly how to take them. For example, can you drink on antibiotics?
What Are Antibiotics?
Antibiotics are a category of prescription medications that can prevent or treat bacterial infections. Generally speaking, they accomplish these goals in one of two ways: either by attacking and killing the bacteria, or by preventing it from growing.
What types of diseases do antibiotics treat?
The effectiveness of antibiotics has prompted some people to refer to them as “wonder drugs.” Considering their ability to eliminate potentially life-threatening infections, this nickname is well deserved.
But it is important to understand that the effectiveness of antibiotics is limited to treating conditions that are caused by bacterial infections. Examples of health concerns caused by bacteria include:
- Strep throat
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections
- Syphilis
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
Antibiotics have NO impact on diseases caused by viruses or other factors. Thus, there is no value in using an antibiotic to treat the common cold, COVID, influenza, herpes, or measles.
Do antibiotics have side effects?
Antibiotics are typically safe when used as directed by a qualified professional, though they can cause adverse effects.
Common side effects of antibiotics include:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramping
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Skin rash
- Yeast infection
More severe, but thankfully less common, side effects of antibiotics include:
- Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Anaphylaxis (life-threatening allergic reaction)
How many people take antibiotics?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pharmacies in the United States filled 255.9 million prescriptions for oral antibiotics in 2024. This works out to an average of 752 prescriptions for every 1,000 people.
The CDC also reported that the most frequently prescribed antibiotics in 2024 were:
- Amoxicillin – 55.2 million prescriptions
- Azithromycin – 36.3 million prescriptions
- Amoxicillin – 34.5 million prescriptions
- Doxycycline – 28.4 million prescriptions
- Cephalexin – 22.9 million prescriptions
Can You Drink on Antibiotics?
Considering how often people in the U.S. use antibiotics and alcohol, it is understandable to be concerned about potential adverse reactions if a person has both substances in their system at the same time.
Some sources say you should avoid alcohol completely while taking antibiotics. Others say moderate alcohol use shouldn’t pose much of a risk. What’s the truth? Can you drink on antibiotics?
This looks like a simple yes-or-no question, but it’s not. The correct answer can depend on a variety of factors, including which antibiotic you are taking and how much alcohol you consume.
In most cases, limited alcohol use while taking an antibiotic won’t cause significant problems, but you may experience some of the issues we address in the next section. The risk may increase if you overindulge. And if you’re taking certain antibiotics, any alcohol use at all may be problematic.
The best way to determine if you can drink alcohol while on an antibiotic is to ask the physician who prescribed the medication to you.
How Does Alcohol Interact With Antibiotics?
Three common concerns about mixing alcohol with antibiotics are:
- Stronger side effects: On their own, alcohol and antibiotics can both cause effects such as lightheadedness, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. Having both substances in your system at the same time can intensify these unpleasant effects.
- Disrupted absorption: A February 2020 report in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy noted that alcohol may alter the rate at which your body absorbs some antibiotics, including cephalexin, cefadroxil, doxycycline, and amoxicillin.
- Delayed recovery: Alcohol use can undermine your health in many ways, such as by preventing your immune system from functioning at full capacity. When you’re dealing with a bacterial infection, alcohol’s negative impact on your system can slow your recovery.
What Happens if I Can’t Stop Drinking While Taking Antibiotics?
If you can’t quit drinking for a limited time while you’re taking antibiotics, even after being advised by your doctor that you should stop, that can be a sign that you have become addicted to alcohol.
The clinical term for this condition is alcohol use disorder, and it’s commonly referred to as alcoholism. Under any name, it is characterized by the inability to control how much and how often you drink.
Common warning signs of alcoholism include:
- Feeling the need to drink every day, or just about every day
- Spending a considerable amount of time drinking and recovering from the effects of alcohol
- Continuing to drink after incurring some type of physical, psychological, or social harm that was caused or worsened by prior alcohol use
- Failing to fulfill your responsibilities at home, in school, or at work as a result of your alcohol use
- Ending or reducing your participation in important activities because of your drinking
- Developing tolerance, or needing to drink more in order to experience alcohol’s effects
- Developing physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms when you try to curtail your alcohol use
Most experts consider addiction to be a chronic, progressive disease. This means that it won’t go away on its own, and if you don’t get proper treatment it’s likely to become worse over time.
But when you get the right type of care, you can end your alcohol use, learn to manage your symptoms, and start living a much healthier life in recovery.
Find Help for Alcohol Addiction in Atlanta
Valor Behavioral Health is a trusted provider of personalized, age-appropriate addiction services for adults and adolescents.
Treatment options at our outpatient rehab center in Atlanta, GA, include a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and a virtual IOP. We’ll work closely with you to identify the programs and services that best aligns with your unique needs, goals, and preferences.
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.
