Is it safe to take prednisone and alcohol together?

Key Takeaways

• Both prednisone and alcohol can suppress your immune system, so taking them together may increase your risk of infection.
• Although the FDA does not specifically warn against alcohol consumption with prednisone, both are processed in your liver which could lead to worsened side effects from either or both substances.
• Healthcare professionals may recommend you avoid alcohol completely while taking prednisone, especially if you have certain health conditions or are taking prednisone long-term.

Overview

Prednisone is a prescription drug that belongs to the corticosteroid group of medications. It reduces inflammation and helps treat conditions like asthma, allergic reactions, and rheumatoid arthritis.

However, in order to reduce swelling and irritation in your body, prednisone suppresses your immune system. This can also be an effect of alcohol. In addition, the effects of alcohol may also worsen the side effects of prednisone.

It’s important to speak with a doctor or healthcare professional to find out how much alcohol is safe for you to drink if you’re taking prednisone.

About prednisone and alcohol

Prednisone works by reducing the activity of your immune system. Brand names for prednisone include Rayos and Prednisone Intensol.

Healthcare professionals may prescribe prednisone for autoimmune health conditions such as:

• Crohn’s disease
• rheumatoid arthritis
• asthma
• lupus
• severe allergic reactions

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not warn against drinking alcohol while taking prednisone, as there are no direct interactions between the two substances.

However, both prednisone and alcohol are broken down in your liver. Because of this, it’s possible that alcohol could change the way your body breaks down prednisone and worsen potential side effects. In addition, prednisone could change the way alcohol affects your body.

Also, because both prednisone and alcohol can suppress your immune system, taking them together may cause your immune system to not function properly. This means that drinking too much alcohol while you’re taking prednisone may increase your risk of picking up some type of infection.

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What to know about prednisone side effects

Alcohol may enhance certain side effects of prednisone. The risk of experiencing these side effects depends on several factors, including:

• your prednisone dosage
• the length of your prednisone treatment
• how much alcohol you drink
• any existing medical conditions you may have

The potential side effects of consuming alcohol with prednisone include the following:

Stomach irritation

Both alcohol and prednisone can irritate your stomach and digestive tract. Consuming too much alcohol can cause inflammation of the stomach lining, leading to heartburn and stomach ulcers.

Prednisone can cause short-term stomach irritation. If you also take certain over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen, there is a higher risk of developing peptic ulcers.

If you are prone to stomach irritation, it may be a good idea to avoid drinking alcohol while you’re taking prednisone.

Immune suppression

Because alcohol can weaken your immune system, long-term consumption may make it easier to pick up infections that you would normally be able to ward off.

Prednisone works by suppressing your immune system to reduce inflammation. This means your body may find it more difficult to fight off infectious diseases. If you have an infection while taking prednisone, you may be at a higher risk of experiencing more severe long-term symptoms than usual.

Bone density

Taking prednisone for a long-term chronic condition may increase the risk of your bones becoming more fragile and brittle. This can lead to osteoporosis, which makes your bones more prone to breaking.

A 2019 review of studies found that people who had 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks per day had 1.34 times the risk of developing osteoporosis. According to the same review, people who consumed more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day had 1.63 times the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Weight gain

Alcohol is high in calories, and drinking an excess amount can increase the risk of weight gain. For example, just 6 ounces (175 milliliters) of wine contains 158 calories.

Some people also experience weight gain as a long-term side effect of prednisone. To avoid weight gain while you’re taking prednisone, you may want to cut back on high calorie drinks, like alcohol, as well as high calorie foods.

Blood sugar changes

If you have diabetes, the effects of alcohol can cause your blood sugar levels to drop. This can put you at risk of developing hypoglycemia.

Prednisone can lead to a long-term increase in your blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes and are taking prednisone, you may need more insulin or medication than usual.

How much alcohol can I drink on prednisone?

While drinking a small amount of alcohol while taking prednisone is unlikely to affect your health, especially if you don’t have other health issues, it’s best to talk with your doctor about how much alcohol is safe for you to consume.

Depending on other health conditions you may have, your doctor may advise you to avoid alcohol altogether while taking prednisone.

For example, if you are prone to indigestion or an upset stomach, combining both alcohol and prednisone may cause you discomfort.

Also, if you tend to drink more than a moderate amount of alcohol and a doctor recommends a long-term course of prednisone to treat a chronic health condition, you may want to consider giving up alcohol completely.

There are many long-term health benefits to quitting alcohol, particularly if you have a chronic illness. It is helpful to be honest with your doctor about your alcohol consumption so they can provide the best advice.  

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What should I avoid while taking prednisone?

Prednisone is a strong steroid medication, so it is important to follow your doctor’s instructions when taking it.

Some of these instructions may include:

• always taking your medication with food
• talking with a doctor before receiving any vaccinations
• informing a doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• following any dietary instructions that a doctor gives you
• talking with a doctor before taking herbal supplements

Prednisone may impact your overall sleep quality. To prevent possible sleep issues, consider taking your medication in the morning or further away from bedtime. It may also be helpful to avoid stimulants like caffeine later in the day to prevent further sleep problems.

If you are unsure about what to avoid while taking prednisone, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional for specific recommendations.

Summary

Depending on your overall health, it may be safe to drink a small amount of alcohol if you need to take prednisone for a short period of time. But it’s a good idea to avoid alcohol if you have certain health conditions or if you take prednisone for the long-term management of a health issue.

Your doctor may advise you to avoid alcohol if you have health issues such as gastrointestinal issues, osteoporosis, or diabetes.

Also, drinking alcohol while taking prednisone may increase the risk of some side effects, such as:

• stomach irritation
• loss of bone density
• a suppressed immune system
• weight gain

Be sure to talk to your doctor or healthcare professional about whether it’s safe to consume alcohol while you’re taking prednisone.