Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to take over-the-counter or prescription pills to cure any discomfort and sickness. Although it’s great to enjoy easy and affordable access to medication, using them the wrong way may lead to some serious consequences that can affect health and wellness. Acetaminophen, for example, is a type of painkiller in pain-relief medications such as Tylenol. However, when acetaminophen and alcohol are combined, it can cause serious damage to the kidneys and liver.
Part 1: Acetaminophen and Alcohol: Kidney Damage
Shockingly, one dose of acetaminophen mixed with a small amount of alcohol in your body has been associated with up to a staggering 123% increase in your chances of contracting kidney disease. …show more content…
Antidepressants. Antidepressants and alcohol both work by slowing down the central nervous system. This has an effect on your brain’s performance, hindering your ability to think clearly and rationally and making you less alert, coordinated, and responsive. Taking these two substances together will thus cause you to have impaired judgment. In fact, it can even worsen the symptoms of depression and counteract the effects of the drugs.
2. Birth control pills. Oral contraceptives tend to retain alcohol in the body for longer periods of time, which means that women who take the pill are quick to become intoxicated when they drink alcohol. While this will not negate or alter the effects of the medication, the prolonged alcohol retention can mean impaired decision-making and reduced sexual inhibitions.
3. Blood pressure and heart medications. Just like acetaminophen and alcohol, medications for blood pressure and heart can also produce negative side-effects for the body when combined with alcohol. The alcohol minimizes the effects of the medication, making them ineffective in treating heart ailments and actually causing the blood pressure to experience a drastic