Question
Can I drink alcohol with ARVs?
9 September 2014. Related: All topics, Drug interactions, Recreational drugs.
I have started ART a month ago. Before that I used to drink alcohol quite often.
Since I started ART, I try to not drink. But, I still want to.
Can I drink alcohol?
Answer
In general, one or two drink is likely to be fine, if this is something you enjoy. There are no interactions between alcohol and ARVs.
More heavy drinking however can lead to missing doses of your ARVs. This can cause your treatment to fail. This means that if you have a drink, make sure you find a way to not miss any of your meds. Moderation is important.
Two other concerns are important for people living with HIV:
- Alcohol can also make efavirenz side effects worse, in particular feeling dizzy, so be careful about this.
- Alcohol can make hepatitis or other liver complications progress more quickly. Alcohol is not recommended if you have hepatitis. See this information from the guide to HIV and hepatitis C:
https://i-base.info/guides/hepc/alcohol
The NHS website has a lot of information about alcohol. This is important whether you are HIV positive or HIV negative. See:
http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/Alcohol/Pages/Alcoholhome.aspx, and
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Effectsofalcohol.aspx
In the UK, the NHS recommendations for alcohol are:
- Men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day. This is only 1-2 pints of lager – ie one strong drink.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/alcohol-units.aspx - Women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day
- If you’ve had a heavy drinking session, avoid alcohol for 48 hours.
“Regularly” means drinking this amount every day or most days of the week.
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This question from 2008 was updated in September 2014.
I’m HIV positive and I drink wine while I take my meds. Is it OK to drink wine when using ARVs?
Hi Sherz,
Skipping ARVs because you want a drink is not advised. ARVs are meant to be taken as prescribed, so daily. There’s nothing to say that you can’t take your meds at the same time as having a drink. If you keep skipping your meds, your health will be effected. One thing to note, is that drinking should be done in moderation. This is because of how it is processed in the body. For more on adherence please see the following:
http://i-base.info/guides/starting/adherence
I used to skip my ART treatment when I am drinking because I’ve been scared that the reaction between alcohol and treatment is dangerous.
How this may affect my health? Should I take my treatment while drinking?
Hi Dindy,
ARVs can be taken with alcohol. Just don’t forget to take them.
i want to know if it is advisable to take your meds first before taking alcohol or either way is still fine?
Hi Noluto, some of the things you decide sounds like symptoms of depression and anxiety. Sometimes HIV is linked to these symptoms, but so is one of the most commonly used HIVV meds – called efavirenz. Please see if efavirenz is included in your HIV meds and if yea, talk to your doctor about other meds you could use. Please talk to your docotr orother health workers. the earlieryou talk about this, the easier it will be to feel better again.
I m always thinking of the days when HIV would show up, got sick, can’t do anything for myself. I ve seen people loosing their minds lying down all the time. don’t notice if its day or night, can’t recognise my family.
Does these things happens even if you on ARVs. not in a relationship since discovered that I am positive.
Hi Estella, what info do you want? This link is to a guide about HIV treatment:
http://i-base.info/guides/starting
This link has information in each HIV drug:
http://i-base.info/guides/category/arvs
I need more information on ARVs,
Hi Natty, if you have just started ART you need to keep taking it every day – at least until you viral load becomes undectectable in a few months. This is the most important thing to focus on in your life. Later there are other options.
You can still drink alcohol when on treatment, but you need to find a way to remember to take you meds.
Also, because efavirenz has side effects that are disorientating, try drinking less thant you normally would, in case these side effects are worse.