Aspirin and alcohol – is that compatible?

Introduction

Aspirin® is a drug containing the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid. It is used for pain and fever. Since it is also frequently used in the treatment of symptoms arising from alcohol consumption, the question of whether it is safe to take Aspirin® and alcohol together is often raised. It should be noted that Aspirin® should not be taken together with alcohol, as this can lead to dangerous side effects.

What happens if I take Aspirin® and alcohol at the same time?

As with all drugs, a number of different interactions with other substances can occur when taking Aspirin®. If Aspirin® and alcohol are taken at the same time, the risk of developing dangerous side effects of Aspirin® is particularly high. In particular, there is an increased likelihood of undesirable side effects of the stomach lining occurring while taking the drug.

There is thus a risk that the joint consumption of alcohol and Aspirin® may lead to a stomach ulcer, which in the worst case may develop into a stomach carcinoma. Bleeding in the stomach caused by the ulcer can quickly cause large amounts of blood to be lost and lead to life-threatening conditions. Interactions in the sense of an increased effect of alcohol or the effect of Aspirin® are not relevant.

This can be explained by the metabolism of Aspirin®. For example, the active substances of the drug contained in Aspirin® are almost completely excreted by the kidneys, while the alcohol is metabolized in the liver. If Aspirin® is used to prevent a heart attack when the coronary arteries are narrowed, it should be noted that tachycardia can also occur after alcohol consumption. You can find more information on this under: Tachycardia after alcohol

Interval between the intake of Aspirin® and alcohol

The distance which should be kept when taking alcohol and Aspirin® is influenced by the speed of the degradation of the substances. It should also be noted that regular intake of both substances can lead to undesirable side effects even if a time interval is observed and is therefore not recommended. Since Aspirin® causes an irreversible inhibition of certain enzymes which are responsible, among other things, for the production of the mucus protecting the stomach lining, the effect of the drug continues even after the active substance contained in Aspirin® has already been excreted.

A normalization of the effect on these enzymes is only given after 3-4 days after taking Aspirin®. A regular and high alcohol consumption should therefore be avoided for this time. The damaging effect of alcohol on the stomach lining and the overproduction of gastric acid through the consumption of alcohol, on the other hand, subsides much earlier.