Birth Control and Alcohol Interaction: Can You Drink Alcohol with Birth Control?

Author: Greg Basham

Last Updated: 4/30/2022

Birth control is a female contraceptive that is used around the world by women of all ages. Typically, birth control is used as a means to avoid or prevent pregnancy. Additionally, hormonal birth control pills may be prescribed by doctors to help women manage symptoms of menstruation. Symptoms of menstruation that are treated by birth control include heavy or painful periods, as well as other symptoms of hormones such as acne, and health conditions like endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome. 

What Are The Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Birth Control? 

The effects of mixing alcohol and birth control vary over the short and the long term. The effects also vary based upon the amount of alcohol a person is consuming over a certain period. Individuals who have a history of alcohol abuse or who have developed alcohol use disorder tend to be more at risk of some of the complications associated with mixing alcohol and birth control. 

These long-term risks associated with heavy drinkers have to do with heart health, as people with a high risk of blood circulation or heart problems may develop serious complications if they use birth control over a long period and also drink alcohol. There is also a risk of developing depression, as many records indicate a link between heavy drinking, taking birth control, and depression. 

The short-term risks are not as life-threatening, although these side effects can be very troubling. Without combining birth control with alcohol, birth control has been known to cause such physical side effects as breast soreness, bleeding on days when the individual is not on their period, and even nausea and headaches. These symptoms can all be exacerbated when alcohol is mixed in, worsening the side effects. 

Furthermore, binge drinking can cause vomiting, which will lead to vomiting out the contraceptive if the vomiting occurs three hours after taking the birth control. Not getting the full dose of a contraceptive means an individual may not be protected from getting pregnant, so it is important to manage alcohol consumption to ensure the drug works successfully, not just to protect from painful short-term side effects. 

Does Birth Control Affect the Taste of Alcohol? 

Birth control does not affect the taste of alcohol. Unless the two are consumed simultaneously, which is never recommended, birth control is not known to have any impact on the flavor of food or the taste of beverages including alcohol. That said, birth control can leave an aftertaste in the mouth, which can influence the taste of alcohol for short periods. Once the aftertaste subsides, the flavor of alcohol should return to normal.

Does Birth Control Affect the Effects of Alcohol?

Yes, birth control has been known to sometimes affect the effects of alcohol, however, the effects may not be noticeable in every case. One of the major ways that birth control can affect the effects of alcohol is because the hormones in birth control do have the potential to alter the body’s water distribution. A change in water distribution can have an impact on the way the body metabolizes alcohol. When drinking, if the body’s water distribution is affected by alcohol, then higher blood alcohol levels are possible to reach, which can cause someone to get drunk faster. If a person is binge drinking, the mixture of birth control and alcohol has the potential to be extremely dangerous, as it’s possible to lose track of how much you’re consuming and risk alcohol poisoning. 

Additionally, over-intoxication can lead to forgetting to take birth control, reducing its effectiveness in the case of sexual intercourse, as well as risking vomiting, which can empty the system of the drug and reduce its effectiveness as well. 

Does Birth Control Affect Alcohol Tolerance? 

As described above, alcohol tolerance can be affected by taking birth control if the birth control affects the body in such a way that water distribution is altered. If the body redistributes water after taking birth control, there is some likelihood that the body metabolizes alcohol at a faster rate. This means that although someone might be thinking that they are drinking an amount they can usually handle, the alcohol might metabolize faster than they are accustomed to, leading to a risk of higher blood alcohol content and getting drunk faster. In the case of someone who is drinking a large quantity, this can prove disastrous, as the alcohol takes effect faster than the person is expecting. 

What Are the Types of Birth Control and Alcohol’s Influence on their Effectiveness? 

Many different types of birth control are all considered effective contraceptives. Different methods for preventing pregnancy include intrauterine devices (IUDs), contraceptive injections, pills, patches, and condoms, as well as some more long-term methods. 

While all of these devices do not necessarily interact with alcohol chemically, there is the potential for them to be misused, reducing effectiveness, and interfering with weekly compliance, which is a way to describe how a person who has been prescribed a contraceptive or uses a contraceptive keeps up with their daily, weekly, or monthly protocol. Drinking excessively can lead to forgetfulness, blackout, and other extenuating circumstances that may lead to a disruption in routine. 

Who Should Not Take Alcohol and Birth Control? 

Because people can drink alcohol while taking birth control, there are no specific individuals who are exempt from drinking alcohol while taking birth control. However, because birth control can amplify the effects of alcohol, riskier behavior due to drunkenness is a possibility. It is safest to always be responsible when drinking alcohol, but especially so when taking birth control. If an individual has a history of binge drinking, and starts birth control, then that might be a person who should consider not drinking while taking birth control, as the effects of alcohol may be more intense, and come on faster, than the person is accustomed to before they started taking birth control. This is mostly relevant for the daily pill, as other contraceptives do not affect the body in the same way.

How Much Birth Control Can Be Dangerous To Take With Alcohol? 

Without drinking alcohol, it is very difficult to overdose on birth control. Accidentally taking a double dose is not life-threatening, and because birth control pills only contain estrogen and progestin, there is not an extremely toxic drug that can be dangerous. However, if a person takes a full package of birth control, nausea, vomiting, and headaches are all likely symptoms. Mixing such an overdose amount with alcohol will likely only exacerbate those symptoms listed above, which can lead to dehydration, intense stomach pain, alcohol poisoning, and hospitalization. 

Does Alcohol Affect How Well Birth Control Will Work? 

Although modest alcohol use does not reduce the effectiveness of birth control, it can reduce your energy and delay how quickly you recover from illness. Additionally, drinking alcohol can cause forgetfulness, leading to missing the pill, and risky sexual behavior, both of which can directly counteract the effectiveness of a contraceptive. 

How Long After Taking Birth Control Can You Drink Alcohol? 

It may be best to avoid drinking alcohol at least two hours after taking birth control as that is the amount of time that doctors agree it takes for the contraceptive to be fully digested. Total digestion is very important, as that is the only way that the contraceptive can enter the bloodstream. For most people, having one drink within the two-hour mark may not be detrimental, but to avoid the risk of vomiting from drinking alcohol and vomiting up the contraceptive, waiting the two hours is highly recommended. 

It is never recommended to take birth control at the same time as alcohol, as stated above, birth control has a propensity to linger in the bloodstream and cause the effects of alcohol to both last longer and come on stronger. So it is best to drink modestly when taking birth control to avoid unwanted interactions. 

What Are Other Drugs That Are Dangerous To Use With Alcohol? 

Other drugs which are dangerous to use with alcohol tend to be those with high levels of toxicity or those which directly influence gut health. Since alcohol is processed in the digestive system and the bloodstream, certain diabetes medications and antibiotics can be very dangerous to use with alcohol, especially in the long term. 

In the short term, such medicines like Depressants, and even allergy medicines, can interact with medications in such a way that causes drowsiness and dizziness, as well as even more serious side effects, in the case of Depressants, like memory loss, overdose from asphyxiation, heart attack, and stroke. Stimulants and Opiates similarly interact with alcohol in extremely dangerous ways, leading to severe health complications related to overdose, as well as destructive habits of addiction which can cause death in the long term as well as destruction of life.

It is always best to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any medication, as it may be necessary to change certain aspects of one’s lifestyle, including drinking alcohol, to best benefit from the medication, and not risk any dangerous complications.