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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 a consultant in the Division of Infectious Diseases 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 and a fellow of the American College of Physicians and of 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 of the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents and 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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Antibiotics and alcohol: Should I avoid mixing them?
What are the effects of drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics? Some antibiotics carry a warning to avoid alcohol. But others don't.
Answer
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, and rapid heart rate. Keep in mind that some cold medicines and mouthwashes also contain alcohol. So check the label and avoid such products while taking these antibiotics.
Chronic alcohol use and binge drinking affect the liver and may cause changes in the way some drugs, including antibiotics such as doxycycline (Vibramycin, Doryx), are metabolized. In such cases, a higher dose of antibiotic 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.
Next questionBioidentical hormones: Are they safer?
- Steckelberg JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 4, 2009.
- Buss LK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 4, 2009.
- Flagyl (prescribing information). New York, N.Y.: Pfizer Inc.; 2006. http://www.media.pfizer.com/files/products/uspi_flabyl.pdf. Accessed Dec. 4, 2009.
- Tindamaz (prescribing information). San Antonio, Texas: Mission Pharmacal Co.; 2004. http://www.tindamax.com/Trinidazole/Prescribing-Information.aspx. Accessed Dec. 4, 2009.
- Drug-drug interactions. Bactrim and alcohol. Thomson Micromedex. http://www.thomsonhc.com/clinicalxpert/librarian/PFDefaultActionId/clinicalxpert.UpdateDrugInteractionsHistory. Accessed Dec. 8, 2009.
- Neuvonen PJ, et al. Effect of long-term alcohol consumption on the half-life of tetracycline and doxycycline in man. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmacology. 1976;14:303.
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