Drug & supplement interaction

Wine + Metronidazole

Metronidazole brand names: Flagyl, Protostat, Metronidazole, Nidazol, Trikacide, and others.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Wine has a moderate interaction with Metronidazole. Concomitant use may cause a disulfiram-like reaction.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceC
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Wine and Metronidazole

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

METRONIDAZOLE (Flagyl)

Concomitant use may cause a disulfiram-like reaction.
Although there is some disagreement over the likelihood of a disulfiram-like reaction with concomitant use of alcohol and metronidazole, prescribing materials recommend discontinuing alcohol intake during the use of metronidazole. In the US, it is recommended to discontinue alcohol during and for at least three days after therapy with metronidazole; in Canada, it is recommended to discontinue alcohol during and for at least 1 day after therapy with metronidazole.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence C

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

This is one of the classic combinations we counsel on at the pharmacy. While you're taking metronidazole (Flagyl), drinking wine (or any alcohol) can trigger what's called a disulfiram-like reaction. Metronidazole interferes with how your body clears a byproduct of alcohol, so that byproduct builds up and can make you feel pretty miserable: flushing, a pounding headache, nausea, vomiting, belly cramps, and a racing heart.

Honestly, the science on exactly how often this happens is mixed, but the makers of the drug still recommend skipping alcohol. The usual advice is to avoid wine during your course and for about 3 days after your last dose (some sources say 1 day). Even a small glass isn't worth the risk. Please check the exact timing with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Flagyl (metronidazole) prescribing information. Pfizer Labs. New York, NY, December 2021. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2021/012623s069lbl.pdf
  2. Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al. Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021;70(4):1-187. PubMed
  3. Flagyl (metronidazole) prescribing information [CANADA]. Odan Labs. Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 2Y6. January 2018. Available at: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00044072.PDF

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Wine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Wine has 656 major, 269 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Metronidazole one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 656 Moderate 269 No known interaction 1,905 (incl. Metronidazole)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Wine

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Wine. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Wine or Metronidazole

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Wine or Metronidazole, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Metronidazole

This page covers Wine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Metronidazole page lists 83 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 7 major · 63 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Metronidazole page

“Metronidazole (Flagyl) can stretch the heart's QT interval on its own, and most of the seven major-rated interactions among its 83 flagged supplement ingredients do the same thing, so I read this list with more wariness than most antibiotics earn. Grapefruit and ephedra stand out for adding to that heart-rhythm risk, while activated ch…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Metronidazole interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Wine as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 8 real supplement products containing Wine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Wine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Metronidazole too, on top of Wine — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Wine and Metronidazole Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Wine
Top half

#394 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Metronidazole
Top 25%

#295 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Wine

What is Wine?

  • Social and relaxation use
  • Heart health (popular belief)
  • Antioxidant intake
  • Aiding digestion (traditional use)
  • Culinary flavoring

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes and is not a true dietary supplement or medicine. Despite popular claims about heart benefits, the alcohol it contains carries real health risks, and no amount of drinking can be recommended to improve health. If you drink, do so in moderation, and avoid alcohol entirely during pregnancy or if you have certain medical conditions.

Read the full Wine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Metronidazole

What Is Metronidazole Used For?

Brand names: Flagyl, Protostat, Metronidazole, Nidazol, Trikacide, MetroGel, Flagyl IV, Metronidazole Redi-Infusion, Flagyl IV RTU, Metro IV, Anabact, Metrosa, Metrotop, Noritate, Rozex Cream, Rozex Gel, Zyomet, Likmez

Metronidazole treats three main types of infections. It's used for trichomoniasis (a sexually transmitted parasitic infection), amebiasis (an intestinal or liver infection caused by a parasite), and serious anaerobic bacterial infections — infections caused by bacteria that thrive without oxygen, which can affect the abdomen, skin, bones, lungs, and other areas.

Because sexual partners can pass trichomoniasis back and forth, both partners are typically treated at the same time, even if one has no symptoms.

See full Metronidazole drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Wine

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Wine — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

656Major
269Moderate
0Minor
1,904No known interaction
656 Major 269 Moderate 1,904 No interaction
Major

656 interactions

Showing 60 of 656 major interactions — see all 656 on the Wine page.

Moderate

269 interactions

Showing 60 of 269 moderate interactions — see all 269 on the Wine page.

No interaction 1,904 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Wine against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,904 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Wine list.

See the full Wine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Metronidazole, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Wine monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Metronidazole supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Metronidazole, ranked by severity Metronidazole drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Wine and Metronidazole Together: Common Questions

Can you take Wine with Metronidazole?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Wine and Metronidazole interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Metronidazole and Wine?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.