Can you combine doxycycline and alcohol? Will mixing these substances prevent the medication from doing its job or cause other problematic outcomes?
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What Is Doxycycline?
Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic that is available only by prescription. Tetracyclines are broad-spectrum antibiotics, which means that they can be used to treat a variety of bacterial infections and certain inflammatory conditions.
Doctors typically prescribe doxycycline to treat problems such as:
- Acne due to bacterial infection
- Rosacea, a condition that causes redness, enlarged blood vessels, and other skin damage on the face
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bacterial bronchitis
- Eye infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- Periodontal disease, which affects the gums
- Tick-related conditions such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis
Doxycycline can also be used to prevent malaria and treat people who have been exposed to anthrax spores or the bacteria that causes bubonic plague.
Doxycycline Side Effects
Common side effects of doxycycline include:
- Mild headache
- Stomach ache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Yeast infections
- Increased sensitivity to the sun
Less common but more serious side effects of doxycycline use include:
- Severe headaches
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Swelling of the mouth, lips, and tongue
- Abnormal heart rate
- Blood in stool, vomit, or diarrhea
- Hyperpigmentation (darkened patches on the skin)
- Esophageal ulcers
- Liver damage
Though rare, doxycycline use has also been associated with two life-threatening effects:
- Anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure and swelling of the airways that obstructs breathing
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which is characterized by severe blistering and peeling of the skin
Dangers of Mixing Doxycycline and Alcohol
Doxycycline can clearly have a powerful effect on your body. Alcohol can, too. Does this mean that having doxycycline and alcohol in your system at the same time could endanger your health?
Combining alcohol and doxycycline is unlikely to have a catastrophic effect, but most experts advise patients to refrain from drinking while taking this medication.
A February 2020 article in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy reported that studies have raised the following concerns about doxycycline and alcohol:
- The half-life of doxycycline was shorter in study participants who had alcohol use disorder than in the control group. A shorter half-life means that the medication is eliminated from the body more rapidly, which decreases its effectiveness.
- Patients with histories of long-term alcohol use may need to take doxycycline twice as frequently as non-drinkers in order to maintain therapeutic levels of the medication in their bloodstream.
- Drinking certain types of red wine caused substantial delays in the body’s ability to absorb doxycycline, which means that it took longer for the medication to begin working.
The February 2020 article also highlighted a study involving rodents that suggested alcohol can limit doxycycline’s antimicrobial effects. In that study:
- The rodents were infected with a bacteria called brucella, put on a 15-day liquid diet, and given doxycycline.
- One group of rodents had alcohol in their liquid diet and one group received an alcohol-free diet.
- 100% of the rodents in the alcohol-free group were cured of the bacterial infection, while the cure rate among the group that was given alcohol was only 64%.
In addition to weakening the antibiotic’s effects, drinking alcohol while taking doxycycline may also increase your risk of stomach problems and dehydration.
What If You Can’t Stop Drinking?
If your doctor advises you not to drink while taking doxycycline or any other prescription drug, and you are either unwilling or unable to follow this guidance, that could be a sign that you have become addicted to alcohol.
Using alcohol in circumstances that are clearly hazardous is one of the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder (which is the clinical term for alcoholism). Other criteria enumerated in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) include:
- Having cravings for alcohol
- Spending considerable amounts of time using and recovering from the effects of alcohol
- Drinking more or for a longer period of time than you intended
- Failing to fulfill obligations at home, in school, or at work due to your alcohol use
- Continuing to drink after incurring physical or psychological damage as a result of prior alcohol use
- Continuing to drink after experiencing interpersonal or social harm because of your alcohol use
- Developing tolerance, which means you need to drink more than you used to in order to feel the effects of alcohol
- No longer participating in important events because of your alcohol use
- Having withdrawal symptoms when you abruptly end or significantly reduce your alcohol use
- Having a persistent desire to stop drinking, but being unable to do so
If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms listed above it may be a good idea to schedule an assessment with your doctor or a trusted addiction treatment provider in your area.
Untreated alcoholism can have a devastating impact on virtually every part of your life, with outcomes that can include job loss, ruined relationships, deteriorating physical and mental health, and even death. But when you receive appropriate care from a reputable provider, you can stop drinking and start living a healthier and more hopeful life in recovery.
Find Help for Alcohol Addiction in Atlanta
Retreat of Atlanta is a premier provider of medical detox and comprehensive residential care for adults who have become addicted to alcohol and other drugs. We also offer dual diagnosis services for patients who have anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other co-occurring mental health conditions.
To learn more about how we can help, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today. We look forward to answering all your questions and helping you decide if our rehab in Atlanta, GA, is the ideal place for you or a loved one.