Antihistamines are medications that affect the action of the compound histamine in your body. Histamine is what causes your immune system to go into overdrive against allergens like dander, pollen, or dust.
The combination of alcohol and antihistamines isn’t a good idea, as both suppress your central nervous system. This can lead to drowsiness or loss of consciousness.
Histamine is a chemical in the body that's responsible for many important functions, including supporting your immune system. When your body's immune system reacts to an allergen, it releases histamine.
Histamine binds to receptors and causes your blood vessels to swell, constrict your lungs, trigger adrenaline release, and cause sneezing, itching, watery eyes, headaches, and other allergy symptoms. Histamine also communicates information to your brain and stimulates the release of stomach acid to help with digestion.
Generally, histamine is broken down through an enzyme called diamine oxidase (DAO). However, some people are genetically predisposed to a condition called histamine intolerance, which makes it difficult for their bodies to break down histamine properly.
Histamine intolerance can be caused by many things, including a diet high in histamine-rich foods, leaky gut, certain medications, and health conditions that affect the lining of your digestive tract. The good news is that there are foods and supplements you can add to your diet that can help to decrease your histamine levels naturally and prevent your body from having to work too hard to process them.
Antihistamines help reduce symptoms of allergies, such as itching, sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose. They block the release of chemicals called histamines, which are released in response to allergens like pollen, mold, and dander.
They can also reduce hives and swelling caused by histamines. These medications are available both prescription and over-the-counter, and they come in many different dosages and strengths.
Most antihistamines are designed to clear your system within four to six hours, which makes them a great choice when you’re looking for relief from allergy symptoms. However, if you’re planning to drink alcohol while taking an antihistamine, it’s best to wait until the medicine is gone from your system before doing so.
Benadryl is a popular antihistamine that’s commonly prescribed for seasonal allergies. It can be taken orally, and it works quickly to relieve symptoms.
It’s important to understand that mixing Benadryl and alcohol can be dangerous. Both are central nervous system (CNS) depressants that can cause drowsiness and loss of consciousness.
Moreover, drinking alcohol can also dehydrate your body and make it more likely for you to have a hangover.
The combination of these two substances can also increase your risk for addiction and other serious side effects, such as severe vomiting or dizziness.
Alcohol also slows down your body’s ability to break down Benadryl, making it stay in your system for a longer period of time. This can be particularly problematic for older adults.
Claritin (loratadine) is a drug that works by blocking the body's reaction to chemicals called histamines. Suppressing these chemicals causes allergy symptoms to decrease.
Alcohol, on the other hand, causes drowsiness. Drowsiness is a common side effect of both alcohol and Claritin, which makes them dangerous to mix together.
Drowsiness from drinking alcohol can also impair judgment, making people more likely to make poor decisions when they're drunk. This can lead to falls and serious injury.
Because of this, it's important to drink responsibly if you take any type of antihistamine, including Claritin. You should talk to your healthcare provider about your individual situation.
