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James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
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James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
James Steckelberg, M.D.
Dr. James Steckelberg is chairman of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic, a consultant and a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School.
A native of Fremont, Neb., Dr. Steckelberg was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine as a resident in internal medicine and a fellow in infectious diseases, and is board certified in both. He is the former director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Steckelberg belongs to numerous professional organizations. He is a founding member of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society of America and a fellow with the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He has served on many Mayo Clinic committees and is a member of the Department of Medicine Leadership Committee and the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy" and has been an editorial reviewer for more than a dozen publications.
Dr. Steckelberg's research interests include experimental models of infection, epidemiology of infection, and antimicrobial resistance and therapy of bacterial infections.
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Question
Antibiotics and alcohol: Should I avoid mixing them?
I'm confused. What are the effects of drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics? Some antibiotics carry a warning to avoid alcohol. But others don't. So is it really necessary to avoid mixing antibiotics and alcohol?
Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
The effects of combining antibiotics and alcohol can vary, depending on the specific antibiotic.
Alcohol doesn't diminish the effectiveness of most antibiotics. However, antibiotics and alcohol can cause similar side effects, such as stomach upset, dizziness and drowsiness. When you combine antibiotics and alcohol, these side effects may increase.
A few antibiotics — such as metronidazole (Flagyl), tinidazole (Tindamax) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) — should not be mixed with alcohol because this may result in a more severe reaction. Drinking any amount of alcohol with these medications can result in side effects such as flushing, headache, nausea and vomiting, rapid heart rate, and shortness of breath. Keep in mind that some cold medicines and mouthwashes also contain alcohol. So check the label and avoid such products while taking these antibiotics.
Rarely, alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of certain antibiotics — such as doxycycline (Vibramycin, Doryx) — which means a higher dose may be required to achieve the same treatment benefit.
Keep in mind that alcohol can reduce your energy and delay how quickly you recover from illness. So, it may be best to avoid alcohol until you have finished your antibiotics and are feeling better.
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