On antibiotics, is drinking possible? What happens to your body when you do is as follows
It is likely that you are fighting an illness if you are taking antibiotics. You may occasionally feel ill and have little desire to do anything. In some cases, however, the antibiotics could start to take effect right away, and you’ll start to feel better even if you still need to take them for a few more days to finish the course. It could be alluring to want to go out, do activities, and drink alcohol after recently improving your health. But can you drink while taking antibiotics?
This is a common query, according to family medicine specialist Dr. Neha Narula of Stanford Healthcare.
She claims that it is generally not advised to drink when taking antibiotics. Even if the news may not have been what you had hoped to hear, your body will later appreciate it.
What occurs if you consume alcohol while taking antibiotics?
For a number of reasons, Narula cautions against drinking while taking antibiotics.
To successfully combat the illness, your immune system must be functioning at its peak. “We really want your immune system and body to be completely prepared to fight off this infection with appropriate rest and nutrition if you have an active bacterial infection requiring antibiotics. Alcohol can significantly affect the body’s natural ability to fight off the infection and lengthen the time it takes for recovery, according to Narula.
a higher potential for negative impacts. According to Narula, drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics increases the likelihood of experiencing adverse effects including abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea.
Drinking is especially risky with some antibiotics. According to Narula, several antibiotics are incompatible with alcohol in any way. Some antibiotics, however, do not interact with alcohol and can be used without risk. Asking your doctor to check your medical history and offer advice on whether drinking is safe while receiving treatment is always a good idea.
How to be safe when taking antibiotics
You should stay away from a few other things when taking antibiotics in addition to alcohol. According to Narula, precise instructions are given to each patient and rely on the particular antibiotic being used as well as their distinctive medical background. However, she also offered a few general recommendations for everyone taking an antibiotic:
Steer clear of grapefruits and their juice. According to Narula, grapefruit can interfere with the way some antibiotics are metabolized, changing the number of antibiotics that enter the bloodstream.
Avoid using herbs and supplements that have not received your doctor’s approval. Some herbs and supplements can lessen an antibiotic’s effectiveness or intensify its negative effects.
Within two hours of taking your prescription, stay away from dairy products and antacids. Calcium, aluminum, iron, or magnesium may be present in dairy products or antacids, which may reduce the medication’s absorption when they bond with the antibiotic in the digestive tract.
In conclusion, it’s definitely best to avoid alcohol when taking antibiotics and instead, take some time to rest and let your body recuperate.