alcohol and the pill

[thesmoothcriminal]

just out of curiousity (i dont drink), but does alcohol affect the pill in anyway? like decrease the effectiveness or anything?

[EaCS]

"there appears to be no relationship between drinking alcohol and the effectiveness of birth control pills. Rather, taking the pill has an effect on the way women's bodies process alcohol.

Both alcohol and the hormones in oral contraceptives are processed in the
liver. Because the body is busy working on more than one substance at a time, the rate at which women on the pill eliminate alcohol from their
bodies is slowed. Therefore, they will feel the effects of drinking for a
longer time than women not on the pill, and may even get intoxicated faster.
At least one study has demonstrated this to be true — no matter at what point in her menstrual cycle a particular woman is or what her body size and composition is like."

http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1789.html

[Nurseman]

I agree with "Alice" up to a point.

Alcohol and birth control pills don't affect each other.

The liver is very good at metabolizing both alcohol AND hormones as well as oodles of other chemicals in our bodies. You'd really have to flood the system with something to affect the rate of metabolism of any other substances.

**Looks over at Faithful Sidekick; Candystriper and asks:"Did that make any sense?"**

**Candystriper: :roll: **

[kuju]

Alcohol has No DIRECT effect on Birth Control.

HOWEVER: if you drink enough to make you throw up... it certainly will have an effect... especially if you took your pill shortly before you threw up. the hormones wouldn't have enough time to be digested and taken into the bloodstream... do it'd be like you never took the pill.