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Claritin and Alcohol Interaction: Can You Drink Alcohol with Claritin?

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Author: Thomas Roth

Last Updated: 9/21/2022

Claritin is an over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medication. People use Claritin to treat sinus congestion, sneezing, runny noses, headaches, itchy eyes, and other symptoms that come from allergies. While Claritin is safe for most people to use, mixing Claritin with alcohol is not a good idea.

Alcohol increases the side effects of Claritin and leads to health problems. We’ll take you through what you need to know about the combination of alcohol and Claritin.

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What are the Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Claritin?

Alcohol and Claritin are both substances that slow down the central nervous system (CNS). Claritin is an antihistamine, which is used for reducing an immune response in the body. Combining alcohol with antihistamines like Claritin results in amplified side effects of Claritin and alcohol. The most common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and even a higher chance of overdosing.

1. Dizziness

Alcohol and Claritin are CNS depressants, so they slow down the heart rate. Therefore, it’s harder for the heart to pump blood around the body. When heart rate slows, people experience dizziness that might lead to a loss of consciousness if it’s serious enough. Alcohol and Claritin can also make people feel faint, weak, and even light-headed. Dizziness is dangerous because it can lead to a loss of consciousness and makes it challenging to move around. If you experience dizziness when mixing alcohol and Claritin, you should rest as soon as possible.

2. Drowsiness

Mixing alcohol and Claritin also leads to drowsiness. A common side effect of Claritin is that it makes people feel tired; alcohol also has a similar side effect. When the substances are mixed people will feel more tired and the drowsiness that Claritin causes becomes worse. This combination can lead to a loss of consciousness or fainting, which leads to injury. Therefore, drowsiness caused by alcohol and Claritin is dangerous.

3. Increased Risk of Overdose

Alcohol is toxic to the body. Your liver needs to process alcohol to remove the substance from your blood. Consuming too much alcohol is dangerous because it raises your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Having a high BAC leads to alcohol poisoning, which is fatal. Minor intoxication also slows motor function and makes it more dangerous to operate heavy machinery. Because Claritin is also a depressant, it makes it harder for your body to break down alcohol. For this reason, combining alcohol and Claritin can lead to an overdose.

Does Claritin Affect the Taste of Alcohol?

Claritin does not affect the taste of alcohol. While it doesn’t taste great if taken in liquid form, the taste fades from your mouth in a matter of minutes. When you take the pill type of Claritin, it leaves less of an aftertaste. Therefore, Claritin does not change the way alcohol tastes unless you take the substances at the same time.

Does Claritin Affect the Effect of Alcohol?

Claritin does affect the effect of alcohol. Alcohol and Claritin are CNS depressants, so combining the substances can make someone feel more intoxicated with less alcohol. Having a high dosage of Claritin and consuming alcohol makes people feel more drunk, which can lead to detrimental side effects when consumed in large quantities. Overall, Claritin makes alcohol feel more intoxicating.

Can Mixture of Alcohol and Claritin Lead to Death?

Mixing alcohol and Claritin can lead to death. Claritin and alcohol slow heart rate, so too much Claritin and alcohol can put someone in a coma. Moreover, Claritin makes alcohol more intoxicating, which increases the risk of overdosing on alcohol. For these reasons, mixing the substances is dangerous and deadly.

Alcoholism death statistics also suggest that it’s deadly to mix alcohol with other types of drugs. So, you should always consult with a doctor before mixing alcohol with other drugs or medications.

Who should not Take Alcohol and Claritin?

Claritin and alcohol are both depressant substances, which means they should never be combined. That said, some people have a higher risk of side effects when combining alcohol and Claritin. People who have liver problems and kidney disease, for example, should not take alcohol and Claritin. Furthermore, people who have heart problems or low blood pressure should also not combine alcohol with Claritin.

Can I Take Claritin with Alcohol While Pregnant?

You can’t take Claritin with alcohol during pregnancy. Taking alcohol and Claritin during pregnancy can lead to problems for the mother and the child. For the mother, heart issues can occur and for the baby things like fetal alcohol syndrome can occur. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a chronic condition that leads to deformities in infants. While some people can take Claritin during pregnancy, nobody should consume alcohol during a pregnancy.

Are all Types of Alcohol Harmful with Claritin?

Yes, all types of alcohol are harmful with Claritin. Alcohol is harmful with Claritin because it slows down the central nervous system, which leads to a reduced heart rate.

Still, some types of alcohol are more dangerous to take with alcohol because of how strong they are. For this reason, liquor is the most dangerous type of alcohol to take with Claritin. Liquor has a high alcohol content, so people can become intoxicated faster. On the other hand, beer and wine have lower alcohol percentages, so you can have higher amounts with less risk.

How Much Claritin Can be Dangerous to Take with Alcohol?

Claritin and alcohol are a dangerous combination. The most Claritin someone should have in 24 hours is 10 milligrams. Even without alcohol consumption, taking more than 10 milligrams of Claritin is dangerous and can lead to adverse health reactions.

Still, even small doses of Claritin can be dangerous to mix with alcohol. Even a small dosage of 5 milligrams can be dangerous to take with alcohol.

Does Alcohol Affect How Well Claritin will Work?

Alcohol affects how well Claritin will Work. Consuming alcohol places stress on the body and the immune system, which can make allergic reactions worse. Therefore, alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of Claritin. That said, alcohol in small amounts doesn’t impact the effectiveness of Claritin by a lot. Overall, just drink responsibly.

How Long After Taking Claritin can You Drink Alcohol?

Before drinking alcohol after taking Claritin, you should wait until Claritin is out of your system. Claritin takes between 24 and 48 hours to clear from your body. Unlike other substances, it takes about 5 half-lives for the body to remove the substance.

Consuming alcohol during this process leads to a slowed heart rate and other health problems. For these reasons, you should wait about 2 days before consuming alcohol after taking Claritin. You can have alcohol sooner if you’ve taken a smaller dosage.

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

There are many drugs that are dangerous to use with alcohol. Dangerous drugs vary but common prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause problems when mixed with alcohol. Alcohol should be consumed in moderation and not with other substances.

We list many of the dangerous drugs to mix with alcohol below.

While these drugs are dangerous to combine with alcohol, there are also other substances that shouldn’t be mixed. You should always consult with a doctor before mixing substances.