Mounjaro and Alcohol: Tips for Drinking Safely

Mounjaro is a prescription-only self-injected medication for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. Although there is no direct interaction between Mounjaro and alcohol, alcohol can impact your weight loss progress or interfere with your blood sugar levels.

Here, we explore how alcohol affects Mounjaro’s results, the potential side effects of drinking on Mounjaro, and how you can drink alcohol safely while taking this popular weight loss and type 2 diabetes treatment.

Although there is little evidence of a Mounjaro-alcohol interaction, combining the 2 can cause side effects, impact your progress, and increase the chance of complications. That said, if you are taking Mounjaro, it does not mean you have to completely cut out alcohol – you just need to be cautious and drink it in moderation.

Is it safe to drink alcohol with Mounjaro?

Yes, you can drink alcohol while taking Mounjaro, but you should be cautious and limit your intake because it can increase the chance of:

Alcohol’s effects on weight loss

Drinking alcohol on Mounjaro may not directly impact its effectiveness, but it can stall your weight loss progress. Mounjaro works by lowering your appetite, reducing your food intake, and stopping cravings, but alcohol can have the opposite effect, leading to unhealthy food choices and making it difficult to stick to a diet plan.

Continually drinking on Mounjaro can also increase the chance of serious complications, including:

• pancreatitis – both Mounjaro use and drinking alcohol are risk factors for inflammation of the pancreas
• kidney damage – drinking lots of alcohol can cause dehydration, which can cause kidney damage, while Mounjaro side effects like being sick and diarrhoea can increase the chance of dehydration, so combining the 2 increases the chance of kidney damage
• low blood sugar – combining Mounjaro and alcohol can increase the chance of low blood sugar, especially in people who have type 2 diabetes

Alcohol can increase or decrease your blood sugar levels, and in some cases, it can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar. It is important to be aware of these when you are taking Mounjaro.

While an occasional drink is unlikely to cause you any harm, alcohol can impact your hunger levels and your weight loss progress, and if you are taking it to manage diabetes, it can come with other risks.

Alcohol can cause blood sugar highs and lows

Different alcoholic drinks can affect your blood sugar differently. For example, drinks that have a high amount of added sugars or also contain mixers, like cola, can cause your glucose levels to spike quickly. These drinks include cocktails, ciders, and liqueurs. Because alcohol can stop your liver from releasing glucose into your blood, it can also cause your blood sugar levels to drop later on. This delayed dip in blood sugar levels can be harder to spot, especially as the signs can be similar to the effects of alcohol.

Alcohol increases hunger

Alcohol lowers your inhibitions and causes you to feel hungrier, making you more likely to snack or overeat. If you’re taking Mounjaro to control your appetite, alcohol can impact some of its benefits. This can make it more difficult to stick to a healthy eating plan and may reduce the weight loss support you get from the medication.

Some drinks are high in calories

Alcohol also contains calories, which means when you drink, you may be taking on more calories than you realise. This can impact your calorie deficit and even lead to weight gain.

According to the NHS, the estimated calorie content of specific alcoholic drinks is:

Drinks like beer, wine, creamy cocktails, and sugary mixers can quickly add hundreds of calories to your day without providing any nutritional value. Over time, this can limit your weight loss progress on Mounjaro.

If you are going to drink alcohol while taking Mounjaro, there are several things you can do to stay safe and have an enjoyable time. If you have any concerns or you are worried about how much alcohol you drink before starting Mounjaro, you should speak to your doctor for further advice.

There are some situations where you will need to avoid alcohol completely because it may affect your health or increase the chance of side effects, including serious ones. Here are some of the times you should avoid drinking on Mounjaro:

You have recently started the medication

It is important that you let your body get used to the medication and monitor any side effects you get as a result. If you do not and you feel sick, vomit, or get diarrhoea, you may not know whether Mounjaro or alcohol (or both) are causing them, which may mean you stop the medication unnecessarily.

Your dose has increased recently

Mounjaro side effects are most likely to happen at the start of your treatment or when your dose increases. So, it is important to avoid alcohol after a dose increase because this may increase the chance of side effects or cause them to get worse.

You get side effects like feeling sick, dizziness, or fatigue

These can be signs that your blood sugar is too low. Mounjaro works by lowering your blood sugar levels to manage type 2 diabetes, and alcohol can stop your liver from releasing stored glucose in response to low levels. Together, these can cause low blood sugar levels, called hypoglycaemia. If this happens, you must contact a doctor straight away to get advice.

You have uncontrolled diabetes

Alcohol can cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall rapidly, and this, combined with Mounjaro’s blood glucose-lowering effects, can make drinking on Mounjaro risky.

You have just injected Mounjaro

It is best to wait a few days after injecting your weekly dose of Mounjaro because side effects may be more likely at this time, especially after a dose increase. This may be something you need to consider when deciding which day of the week you are going to inject Mounjaro.

Alcohol has no direct effect on Mounjaro, but it can slow down your weight loss progress in several ways, including by making you feel hungrier, encouraging you to make unhealthy food choices, and adding extra empty calories to your diet. That’s why it is important to drink safely and in moderation.

Use our tips to help you stay on track to reach your target weight and stay safe when combining Mounjaro and alcohol.

Can Mounjaro and alcohol cause low blood sugar?

Yes, mixing Mounjaro and alcohol can increase the chance of low blood sugar because both can cause your blood glucose levels to drop. One of Mounjaro’s main effects is to lower blood sugar, and alcohol can interfere with the liver’s ability to maintain blood sugar levels, especially when you drink alcohol on an empty stomach.

Will alcohol affect Mounjaro’s weight loss benefits?

Yes, alcohol can affect Mounjaro’s weight loss benefits by adding empty calories to your diet, increasing your appetite, and encouraging you to make unhealthy food choices. It can also worsen side effects like feeling or being sick, which can hinder your progress.

Does Mounjaro suppress alcohol cravings?

Yes, some new research suggests that Mounjaro can reduce or suppress alcohol cravings in some people. GLP-1 medications, like Mounjaro and Wegovy, reduced alcohol cravings in 71% of people.

Are hangovers worse on Mounjaro?

Yes, some people report that their hangovers are worse on Mounjaro. One of the reasons for this is that both Mounjaro and alcohol can cause dehydration, which is commonly thought to contribute to hangover symptoms, although the evidence is conflicting. Both Mounjaro and alcohol also slow down digestion, which can cause effects like feeling or being sick, and diarrhoea to get worse.

Why am I sick after drinking alcohol on Mounjaro?

Drinking alcohol while taking Mounjaro can cause side effects like nausea, being sick, stomach pain, and diarrhoea to get worse because both slow down digestion and cause stomach upset. That’s one of the reasons why it is recommended to drink alcohol in moderation or avoid it, especially at the start of your treatment or after a dose increase.

Can you drink alcohol on other weight loss medication?

You should check with your doctor before drinking alcohol on any weight loss medication, as it may interact with some types.

Will one night of drinking ruin my weight loss progress?

No, it is unlikely that a single night of drinking will impact your weight loss progress, but it can temporarily slow it down because of the increased calorie intake, effects on your mood, and how your body burns fat.