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Alcohol and medicines

Key points about alcohol and medicines

Taking some medicines with alcohol can cause problems.
In most cases, it can increase the risk of side effects or change the effect the medicine has.
Some medicines may have alcohol in them that can be an issue for some people.
If you have concerns about alcohol and medicines, talk to your pharmacist. Find out how alcohol and medicines.

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Taking some medicines with alcohol can cause problems. In most cases, it can increase the risk of side effects or change the effect the medicine has. See below: How does alcohol affect some medicines?

Some medicines may have alcohol in them. Alcohol may be included as a preservative, or to help the active ingredient dissolve. It is often referred to as an inactive ingredient (or excipient) in medicines. See below: Medicines that contain alcohol.

Alcohol interacts with many medicines, including prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and herbal remedies. Alcohol can affect the way some medicines are absorbed by your body and broken down in your liver.

If you drink alcohol regularly, and especially if you drink excessive amounts, your liver produces more enzymes to get rid of the alcohol more quickly.
These enzymes may also break down the medicine you are taking so it no longer has the same effect.
Alcohol affects the way your brain works and slows down your body’s reaction times and responses.
Some types of medicines also affect the way your brain works, and if you’re drinking alcohol these effects may be increased.

Alcohol can increase the risk of side effects such as:
sleepiness, drowsiness, dizziness and falls nausea and vomiting headaches changes in blood pressure and blood glucose mood changes loss of coordination (which can cause accidents)

Mixing alcohol and some medicines may also increase the risk of complications such as liver problems, stomach problems, heart problems and depression.

Read more about alcohol and its effects.

Who is at greatest risk of harmful effects?

Women, older people and those with liver problems and some long-term conditions are at greatest risk of harmful effects.

You are also at greater risk if you drink a lot of alcohol, are malnourished or are taking a lot of different medicines.
In older adults especially, alcohol use may increase your risk of falls, serious injury and disability related to balance problems.
Older adults don't metabolise alcohol as quickly as younger adults do, so alcohol stays in your system longer and has a greater risk of interacting with medicines.
Alcohol use also may trigger or worsen certain medical conditions.

How can I avoid problems with alcohol and medicines?

Always read the label of your medicine, including OTC and herbal medicines. If your medicine has a warning label to avoid alcohol, then it's best to avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking the medicine.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are worried about the effects of alcohol with your medicines. Make sure you tell them all the medicines you are taking, including OTC, prescription and herbal medicines.
If in doubt, don’t drink alcohol. If you can't find the information you need or you can't contact a health professional, it's best to avoid alcohol until you can be certain that it won’t affect your medicine.

Some medicines, especially liquid medicines may have alcohol in them. Alcohol may be included as a preservative, or to help the active ingredients dissolve. It is often referred to as an inactive ingredient (or excipient) in medicines. Read more about excipients in medicines.
Note: In medicines alcohol is sometimes called ethanol, which is the scientific name for alcohol.

For some people, the presence of alcohol in some medicines may be a concern, for example:

in babies, younger children and adolescents
if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
if you have a problem with alcohol addiction
if you are taking medicines that could interact with alcohol such as disulfiram
for cultural reasons, such as people of the muslim faith.

If you need to avoid alcohol, tell your pharmacist when you are starting a new medicine or brand. There could be another option available — sometimes different brands of the same medicine may use different excipients.

How can I find out if my medicine contains alcohol?

If you would like to know if your medicine has alcohol, your doctor, pharmacist or other health professional will be able to help you. You can usually find these in the following places.

medicine box or packaging: From 1 March 2024, for medicines released to the New Zealand market after this date, there will be a warning statement on the medicine box or packaging for some excipients. If the medicine container is small, the warning statement will be on the information leaflet inside the container instead.
consumer medicine information (CMI): If there is a consumer leaflet for your medicine, excipients are listed in the ‘Ingredients’ section near the end of the leaflet. You can also search for the CMI on the Medsafe website(external link).
data sheet (prescribing information): The medicine data sheet (prescribing information) lists the excipients in the ‘Pharmaceutical Particulars’ section near the end of the data sheet. You can search for the data sheet on the Medsafe website(external link).
contact the pharmaceutical company.