Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic, used to treat bacterial skin problems like acne as well as other types of bacterial infections, such as:
- respiratory infections
- malaria
- Lyme disease
- sexually transmitted infections, like chlamydia
With some types of tetracyclines, it is dangerous to mix alcohol. With doxycycline, it is generally safe to consume alcohol in moderation, but it may affect how well doxycycline works in your body.
Drinking alcohol while taking doxycycline may also increase your risk of certain side effects. These include loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea.
It is best to avoid alcohol while taking doxycycline if you:
- have a liver condition
- take certain medications
- drink alcohol frequently
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Side effects of alcohol while taking doxycycline
By itself, doxycycline may cause certain side effects such as:
- diarrhea
- nausea or vomiting
Doxycycline can also cause irritation and ulcers in your esophagus. So, it’s best to avoid lying down for at least 1 hour after taking doxycycline. If you already have ulcers, drinking alcohol may worsen them.
Although drinking alcohol in moderation while taking doxycycline is not likely to cause serious side effects, it could increase your risk of experiencing side effects such as loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea.
If you have a history of liver problems or liver damage, you may want to avoid drinking alcohol while taking this drug. If you have questions, talk with your doctor about drinking alcohol while taking doxycycline.
What happens if you drink alcohol while taking doxycycline?
When you mix alcohol and doxycycline, it may reduce the level of doxycycline in your blood. But this depends on how much alcohol you consume. If you are drinking 3 to 4 drinks per day, this will likely affect the way this drug works to treat your condition.
Alcohol may also slow down your body’s immune response. Drinking alcohol, especially heavy drinking, may decrease how well your immune system functions. If you’re still recovering from a bacterial infection, it may be best to avoid drinking alcohol. If you do choose to drink while taking doxycycline, it may take longer for you to heal from a bacterial infection.
Although drinking alcohol in moderation may not cause problems while you’re taking doxycycline, there are other antibiotics that you should not mix with alcohol.
Antibiotics such as metronidazole and tinidazole can have serious interactions with alcohol. If you take these antibiotics, wait at least 2 days after your last dose before you consume alcohol.
What should you avoid when taking doxycycline?
Certain drugs may interact with doxycycline and as per healthcare professionals, you should avoid them. Interactions can cause a drug to have a different effect on your body than expected.
Vitamins, certain drugs, and supplements may lower the level of doxycycline in your body, making it less effective. These include:
- antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin
- antacids like TUMS
- Pepto-Bismol
- antiepileptics
- vitamin C
- mineral supplements, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, aluminum, and zinc
To avoid interactions, your doctor may recommend waiting for up to 6 hours after taking vitamin C or a mineral supplement before taking your doxycycline dose.
You may want to avoid taking doxycycline if you take certain blood thinners, such as warfarin (Jantoven), as doxycycline may increase the risk of side effects from blood thinners.
If you take oral birth control, doxycycline may cause your birth control to be less effective. If you are pregnant or are nursing, healthcare professionals would advise you not to take doxycycline.
Tetracycline antibiotics like doxycycline can also make you more sensitive to sunlight. Try to avoid exposure to direct sunlight while taking doxycycline. If you need to be in the sun, apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing to avoid sunburn.
Finally, while caffeine does affect how some antibiotics work, doxycycline and caffeine don’t usually interact. So, you can drink coffee while taking doxycycline.
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Doxycycline is an antibiotic doctors use to treat various bacterial infections, including acne.
It is usually safe to drink alcohol in moderation while taking doxycycline. But heavy drinking may affect how well doxycycline works in your body. Antacids, certain antibiotics, vitamin C, and mineral supplements may also make doxycycline less effective.
If you have a liver condition or take certain medications, you may want to avoid drinking alcohol while taking doxycycline.
Alcohol may slow down your body’s immune response in general. Drinking alcohol while recovering from a bacterial infection could add extra time to how long it takes to recover.
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