Choosing non-alcoholic beverages or engaging in activities that do not center around drinking can support overall health and well-being. Making informed choices about alcohol consumption is a personal decision best made in collaboration with a healthcare team. Some medications may also become less effective when combined with alcohol. For instance, anticoagulant medicines like warfarin may not work as well. For those managing lupus, social gatherings can present a set of challenges, particularly when it comes to alcohol consumption.
How much would my life improve from avoiding alcohol?
Treatment options for lupus focus on suppressing the immune system and reducing inflammation. From a comparative perspective, the relationship between liver damage and lupus severity mirrors that of other chronic conditions. For example, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been linked to increased inflammation Alcohol Intolerance and poorer outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis, another autoimmune disorder.
Keep an eye out for side effects
Like the oral microbiome, the gut is filled with bacteria that help keep the body in balance. When that microbiome comes into contact with alcohol, the balance between good and bad bacteria is thrown off. It is better to consume fatty fishes instead like mackerel, sardines, salmon, or tuna.
Alcohol And Lupus: Uncovering The Potential Trigger Connection
Many people with lupus experience a sense of overheating or flushing after consuming alcohol. Lupus raises your risk for heart disease and osteoporosis (a bone disease that makes bones more likely to break). Talk with your doctors about what changes to watch for with the medicines you’re taking. While many digestive problems need medical treatment, making lifestyle changes may prevent or ease some symptoms. Some digestive problems are caused by lupus itself, some are side effects of lupus treatments, and some have other causes (like infections). Your doctor can do tests to find out if your digestive problems are related to lupus.
One of the biggest dangers of drinking alcohol with lupus is the potential for medication interactions, the Lupus Foundation of America cautions. For instance, many people with lupus rely on pain medications to keep their symptoms under control. But some pain medications cannot be mixed with alcohol, and the results can be life-threatening. It’s important to be open with your doctor about your drinking habits and learn whether it’s safe to drink when taking certain pain medications for lupus treatment.
- While these studies provide valuable insights, it is important to note that not all research has found a definitive link between alcohol and lupus.
- But, as with everything involving lupus, you still need to pay close attention to your body while you’re doing it.
- Adjusting for BMI, corticosteroid use, oral contraceptive use, menopause hormone status, and smoking did not substantially change results (Table 2).
- Join me as I document my experiences and educate the world on my chronic illness journey.
- Understanding how to manage your alcohol rehabilitation treatment when you suffer from an autoimmune disease is a specialty of Desert Cove Recovery, allowing us to tailor your treatment to suit your exact needs.
For instance, alcohol can increase the toxicity of certain drugs, such as methotrexate, which is used to suppress the immune system in lupus patients. Given these risks, healthcare providers often recommend that lupus patients limit or avoid alcohol consumption. While occasional, moderate drinking may not affect everyone with lupus, it is essential to monitor how the body responds. Keeping a symptom diary can help individuals identify whether alcohol is a trigger for their flare-ups. For those who choose to drink, staying hydrated, avoiding excessive consumption, and discussing alcohol use with a healthcare provider are crucial steps to minimize risks. Ultimately, managing lupus requires a holistic approach, and understanding the relationship between alcohol and flare-ups is a vital part of that process.
Triggers of Lupus Flares
- Other heroes include Glucocorticoids, Immunosuppressive Drugs, and Hydroxychloroquine, each with a specific role to play in taming the SLE beast.
- These indirect effects highlight why alcohol consumption warrants careful consideration for individuals with lupus.
- If you don’t eat any animal foods, you’ll need to take a vitamin B12 supplement — vitamin B12 is only found in animal foods.
- The study received approval from the Institutional Review Board at Tufts Medical Center.
Patients should monitor their alcohol consumption and consult with healthcare providers to maintain the effectiveness of their lupus treatment while managing their alcohol intake responsibly. In this chronic autoimmune condition, the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, leading to inflammation, swelling, and pain. RA can also affect other parts of the body including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
Remember, just because you feel like it is time to stop drinking doesn’t mean that the party is over or that you have to go home. However, with almost everything with lupus, the key is both listening to your body and keeping it under control. None of my immediate family are big drinkers and my mother was insistent that I not even taste wine at home until I turned 21. When I went off to college, I was often around people drinking but still socialized without drinking myself. The identity and diagnosis of each lupus patient was confirmed by contacting their physician and reviewing their medical records. Control patients were matched to patients with SLE in a 1 to 2 ratio on the basis of demographic and socioeconomic information.
These methods empower individuals with lupus to control their environment and engage in social situations without compromising their well-being. Adjusting for BMI, corticosteroid use, oral contraceptive use, menopause hormone status, and smoking did not substantially change results (Table 2). We next examined whether associations of alcohol with biomarkers differed according to women’s ANA status, and found no evidence of effect modification for any of the biomarkers (data not shown). Remember, you’re living through a pandemic with a preexisting condition; if alcohol adds joy or, dare I say, structure to your day, so be it.
You can read more about the gut microbiome and how it interacts with lupus, here. Alcohol contributes by feeding some of the microbes in the gut with sugar, and killing others with ethanol. Next, alcohol can impact the brain and is linked to fatigue and brain fog. It may also contribute to premature aging and many stress-related health issues.Finally, alcohol interferes with proper organ function and can cause issues with how the body regulates the immune system. Both lead to more problems for people with lupus, including flares and organ damage.