Can you drink alcohol while on antibiotics?

While it is true that there is no adverse reaction, as stated below, the diuretic effect of the alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic by clearing it from the body too rapidly. Drinking with antibiotics is not recommended.

Dr. Alan Galbraith says:

"There is no reason whatsoever that alcohol cannot be drunk while on amoxycillin or for most antibiotics. I do not know where this urban myth came from but it is very widespread even amongst some of the medical profession. There is only one group of commonly used drugs which are antibiotics in the wider sense of this term that may cause unpleasant adverse effects when taken with alcohol. These are the imidazoles, of which metronidazole (Flagyl) is the commonest in use."