Going to the movies, playing board games, or going for a hike are all great activities that don’t involve drinking alcohol. The information on this website is not intended for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. At Allure Detox, client safety and comfort are our top priorities.

Taking Levofloxacin With Alcohol: FDA Warnings to Remember

There is no clinical evidence about Levaquin interacting with eating or drinking dairy products. However, calcium supplements or calcium-fortified foods can both bind to Levaquin, making it less effective. Physicians prescribe sulfonamide antibiotics to treat urinary, respiratory, and abdominal infections. Sulfonamide antibiotics include the combination drug trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which healthcare professionals also call Septra.

Historical studies have suggested that alcohol use with nitrofurantoin resulted in a disulfiram-like reaction (40–42). Likewise, a study found that alcohol did not cause a disulfiram-like reaction with nitrofurantoin in volunteers (44). One study found that minocycline led to a modest reduction of alcohol intake in mice (37).

Levofloxacin (Levaquin) – Uses, Dosing, Side Effects

Linezolid is a weak, nonspecific inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes (81). Studies have shown positive pressor responses in comparison with placebo with tyramine administration (81, 82). One patient developed heart block after taking linezolid and 7 mg of tyramine (81, 82). Per prescribing information, large quantities of beverages with a high tyramine content, including red wine and tap beers, should be avoided and limited to less than 100 mg of tyramine daily (83). Given linezolid’s weaker affinity and reversible MAO enzyme inhibition relative to that of other MAO inhibitors (MAOIs), other authors have investigated the need for a tyramine-restricted diet (81, 84). The pressor responses to an oral tyramine challenge were compared in subjects receiving linezolid or placebo (81).

There were no differences in the rate of elimination of amoxicillin. Concomitant use of alcohol with antimicrobials is believed to either decrease efficacy or lead to toxicity/ADR (6, 7). The classic example of a feared medication interaction with alcohol is the “disulfiram-like” reaction.

With extensive experience in the field of addiction treatment, Francisco is dedicated to helping individuals access the resources they need for successful recovery. Modest alcohol consumption does not necessarily limit the effectiveness of the antibiotics you are taking. Alcohol can also negatively impact your energy levels and can interfere with the liver’s enzyme activity, impacting how Levaquin is metabolized. When someone drinks heavily on a regular basis, it can overwhelm the liver. This can cause immediate problems if you are also taking antibiotics. If your liver is overwhelmed by alcohol, it will be unable to do its job.

Combining alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of certain side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and lightheadedness. Many prescription bottles come labeled with a sticker that warns against alcohol use with the antimicrobial (1). Understanding the evidence behind this warning is important, given the commonality of prescribing and the diverse classes and various properties of antimicrobials (2). The levaquin and alcohol Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that approximately 270 million antibiotics were prescribed for outpatients in 2016 (3). The National Consumers League and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have also warned consumers to avoid alcohol with linezolid, metronidazole, griseofulvin, and antimycobacterials (5). Alcohol warnings between pharmacy chains also differ, potentially leading to confusion for both patients and providers (Table 1).

Isoniazid.

Alcohol did not affect the efficacy of ceftriaxone in a pneumonia model; survival rates were similar in alcohol-fed and control rats (13). To our knowledge, there are no data available on the efficacy/toxicity or ADR of penicillins. Penicillins and cephalosporins are the major beta-lactam antibiotics and have an expansive range of clinical applications.

No, it is not recommended to drink alcohol while taking Levofloxacin. Even a small amount of alcohol can increase the risk of certain side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and lightheadedness. In addition, alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of the medication and make it less effective in treating your infection. Therefore, it is advised to avoid drinking alcohol while taking Levofloxacin.

What Does Research Show About GLP-1 Drugs and Alcohol Use Disorder?

To avoid issues with your central nervous system, you should never consume Levaquin and alcohol at the same time. Cycloserine may decrease alcohol craving, and the package inset warns of seizures with concomitant alcohol use, but data to support this warning were not identified. Isoniazid is used for the treatment of tuberculosis and nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections (98). Package labeling recommends avoiding alcohol within 72 h of tinidazole due to its chemical similarity to metronidazole, but data to support this concern were not identified (72). Minocycline may attenuate alcohol-mediated toxicity in pregnant mice.

  • Until then, you might want to hold off on asking your doctor about GLP-1 drugs for AUD.
  • All antibiotics were equally effective at improving survival and had improved efficacy in alcohol-fed rats.
  • Recovery Ranger is a website that offers direction and support for those seeking to overcome addiction and achieve lasting sobriety.
  • Alcohol warnings between pharmacy chains also differ, potentially leading to confusion for both patients and providers (Table 1).
  • Unlike some medications, you do not have to take Levaquin with food.

Anxiety Medication Addiction

Because of this, you should never take both of these medications at the same time. Alcohol is contraindicated per the package labeling due to a speculative, but not established, increased risk of seizures (122). Rifamycins may cause hepatotoxicity; however, this does not preclude use with alcohol without preexisting LFT elevations when appropriate monitoring can be performed. Griseofulvin is an oral antifungal approved for the treatment of various ringworm infections due to Microsporum, Epidermophyton, and Trichophyton (93).

Levels of Care

Recovery Ranger is a website that offers direction and support for those seeking to overcome addiction and achieve lasting sobriety. Our team of specialists helps individuals navigate the recovery process and stay motivated. In addition, there are many non-alcoholic social activities that you can enjoy while taking levofloxacin.

Levaquin or levofloxacin is a common antibiotic used to treat different types of bacterial infections. The manufacturer of those antibiotics has not specifically stated if people using it should avoid alcohol or not. However, drinking while taking antibiotics can significantly increase the risk of side effects like dizziness, nausea, or an upset stomach.

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Consuming alcoholic beverages while taking any kind of fluoroquinolone will increase these risks. There are several limitations, primarily a lack of trials with high-quality evidence for many of the proposed interactions. Many of the studies were conducted in animals, or the literature was limited to case reports, making a specific attribution and generalizability difficult. In many studies, the amount of alcohol use was qualitative and self-reported and thus subject to recollection bias and an inability to determine a possible dose effect. Further, patients could have been concurrently consuming a multitude of drugs, which can confound hepatoxicity risk. Finally, many studies were conducted in alcoholics, leaving a gap of knowledge for the social drinker who may be taking antimicrobials.

An awareness of data that address this common clinical scenario is important so health care professionals can make informed clinical decisions and address questions in an evidence-based manner. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the evidence behind alcohol warnings issued for many common antimicrobials. In conclusion, drinking alcohol while taking Levaquin is not recommended. Mixing alcohol and antibiotics can cause serious side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and even liver damage.

Levaquin may interact with supplements, such as multivitamins, that you may be taking. It is always a good idea to tell your doctor about any supplements you are taking prior to starting a new medication like Levaquin.