Recently having minor surgery, the doctor gave me a 6-day course of antibiotics as a preventive measure against infection.  We have all been told not to mix antibiotics and alcohol, but is there truth to this or not?  Common guidance to avoid alcohol when taking antibiotics started in the 1950s when antibiotics were being used to treat sexually transmitted diseases (STD).  The guidance was used as an attempt to curb continued sexual activity which was prone to happen more when under the influence of alcohol.  Medical professionals wanted the STDs cured before engaging in more sexual activity and further spreading disease.

I (as I expect many of us) was told to restrain from alcohol while taking antibiotics because the alcohol would invalidate the effect of the antibiotics, but this is just not true.  Most antibiotics will work fine while consuming moderate amounts of alcohol.  “There are only three antibiotics that realistically carry a risk of the nasty ‘fainting and vomiting’ reaction (the so-called ‘disulfiram reaction’) when combined with alcohol. They go by the catchy names of metronidazole, tinidizole and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. But they are marketed under many different brand names – the most familiar being Flagyl, Fasigyn and Bactrim respectively” (sourced from ABC Health and Wellbeing Online Forum, 3 December, 2009).  There are numerous other sources that all agree (just Google ‘wine and antibiotics’ or ‘alcohol and antibiotics’ for numerous validations).  As little as half a beer or a glass of wine may cause the disulfiram reaction when combine with the ‘bad three.’  But these antibiotics are used to target limited types of infections and only represent a very small portion of prescribed antibiotics.

I checked my prescribed antibiotic and verified it was not among the ‘bad three.’  Therefore, and with the doctors blessing, I will be sharing a bottle of wine this evening with friends over dinner.  Even more importantly, a business colleague brought over a bottle of 1986 Chateau Lafite, which if given the opportunity, I would not pass on even if it did induce ‘fainting and vomiting!’

Make sure to validate that your antibiotics are not among the ‘bad three’ if you want to consider drinking while taking them.  For most of us, it should not be a problem, but it is always important to verify it won’t be.  Safe and happy drinking!

Steve Shipley, author Wine Sense, out early 2014. Published by InkIT Publishing
© 2013.  Steve Shipley
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