Pantoprazole is a medication commonly recommended to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acid reflux, heartburn, and even stomach ulcers.
It is a well-known fact that alcohol increases gastric acid secretion in your stomach. Research studies say that beverages like beer and wine with less than 5% alcohol also increase stomach acid production (1). Increased alcohol consumption can lead to heartburn and stomach ulcers.
With such conflicting qualities, what happens when alcohol and pantoprazole are taken together? Drinking alcohol when you are on a medication to reduce your stomach acid; will it worsen your symptoms? Let’s find out.
What is Pantoprazole?
Pantoprazole is an FDA-approved drug recommended for treating esophagitis associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. It belongs to proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and is an effective agent that helps in managing acid-related disorders (2).
Pantoprazole is a well-tolerated drug and has minimum potential drug interactions. It is available in both oral and intravenous formulations and is preferred over other PPIs to treat gastric acid disorders.
How Does Pantoprazole work?
Our stomach lining has proton pumps that produce acid. Pantoprazole mainly binds irreversibly and specifically to these proton pumps and reduces gastric acid secretion (3).
By decreasing the secretion of stomach acid, pantoprazole helps against conditions like:
- Acid reflux - The significant causative factor for acid reflux is prolonged contact of oesophageal mucosa with refluxed acid and pepsin. This occurs when the contents of your stomach flow back into your esophagus. Pantoprazole treats this condition effectively and has an excellent safety record (4).
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - GERD is simply a more severe form of acid reflux. It’s so chronic that it may damage the esophagus. Pantoprazole helps relieve symptoms such as acid regurgitation and heartburn and helps in the faster healing of lesions (5).
- Zollinger–Ellison Syndrome (ZES) - It is a rare condition characterized by gastric acid hypersecretion. For up to 36 months, oral pantoprazole therapy is considered effective and well-tolerated for such hypersecretory conditions (6).
- Peptic Ulcer Disease: It is seen when you develop painful sores in the lining of your stomach or small intestine and leads to bleeding. Intravenous pantoprazole is used to prevent bleeding and as a prophylaxis for acute bleeding stress ulcers (7).
How Alcohol Affects Your Gastric Acidity
Heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to many adverse health events, potentially including GERD. It can also increase the symptoms of existing GERD and cause damage to the esophageal mucosa. Generally, if you are suffering from GERD, it is recommended to avoid alcohol or reduce its consumption (8).
When you consume excess alcohol, it also increases your blood alcohol concentration. This leads to various other health complications like blurry vision, dysphoria, loss of balance and coordination, etc.
What Happens If You Drink Alcohol While Taking Pantoprazole?
The answer to this question is two-fold.
1. Alcohol can Increase the Symptoms of GERD
There is no direct interaction between alcohol and pantoprazole. Yet, in a way, alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of pantoprazole; it can increase stomach acid, which pantoprazole works to reduce.
With more acid-forming in your stomach due to alcohol, you are more at risk of acid reflux diseases. And that means you will have to increase your regular dose of pantoprazole to prevent the reflux symptoms. This overdosage of pantoprazole can result in various side effects.
2. What Happens to Blood Alcohol Concentration
A study published in 2012 investigated the effect of drinking alcohol while taking pantoprazole in healthy individuals (9). The participants were non-alcoholic and of about 23 to 30 years of age. This study concluded that a regular dose of pantoprazole does not affect the absorption or elimination of a moderate amount of alcohol.
With this, the experts expect that in patients with gastric-acid-related diseases like GERD or peptic ulcer, consuming pantoprazole with moderate social drinking will not cause any increase in blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels.
Hence, moderate and occasional consumption of alcohol with pantoprazole can be considered safe. However, it may also depend on the severity of your condition; consulting your doctor is essential to avoid any adverse effects.
Side Effects Of Pantoprazole
Pantoprazole does not have any indispensable side effects when taken in small doses to treat gastric-acid-related conditions. Some of the common side effects are headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, bloating or gas, pain in your joints, and diarrhea.
But if your condition doesn’t get treated soon and you are on pantoprazole therapy for the long term, you may experience fractures, hypomagnesemia, and pneumonia. C. difficile infection and deficiency of Iron and Vitamin B12 are also common with long-term pantoprazole intake (10).
Pantoprazole can also cause an allergic reaction, dark pee, pain while peeing, swollen ankles, and rashes. But these are serious side effects that are rarely seen (11).
How To Take Pantoprazole?
Pantoprazole medication is available under the brand name Protonix. It is usable as a tablet that should be swallowed whole. You should not split, crush, or even chew it (12). Consult your doctor to know when to take and the right dosage. For many people, the ideal time to take it is about 30 to 60 minutes before meals.
Some people have trouble swallowing the tablet. If you are one such patient, Protonix is also available as an injection you can get administered in a hospital setting. Additionally, there are other options like granules that may taste better with applesauce.
Always ensure that you are not taking an overdose of this medicine. Another thing you must remember is not to quit pantoprazole suddenly after a long time of use. Slowly reduce the dosage to help your body adapt to the low dosage of pantoprazole. Gradually you can stop taking this drug.
What If Someone Takes Alcohol And Pantoprazole Together For A Long Time?
Long-term use of both alcohol and pantoprazole can make your body dependent on them. If not taken care of, this can severely harm your health. The side effects of pantoprazole and the damage that alcohol does to almost every organ of your body can be fatal. Eventually, the over-dependency of these two can even lead to mental health problems.
Thankfully, there are some great therapy options available that you can take advantage of. These include:
- Supervised detoxification or withdrawal process
- Rehab and support groups
- Medical therapy
- Counseling
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
If you are experiencing adverse effects due to long-term use of alcohol and pantoprazole, discuss with your doctor. With the right treatment approach, you can overcome these issues.
Final Words
Pantoprazole is used to treat acid reflux whereas alcohol increases stomach acidity. Alcohol does not interact directly with pantoprazole and its occasional consumption can be considered safe. However, depending on the severity of your acid reflux you may have to monitor your alcohol intake. It is essential to discuss with your doctor to avoid any serious side effects.