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Drug Info The Mix-Up

Can you drink on Contrave?

Combining these two substances can increase your risk of side effects, such as low blood sugar and liver problems
By | Jan. 3, 2025
A bottle of Contrave and alcohol

Key takeaways

  • Drinking alcohol while taking Contrave can increase your risk of side effects, such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels), mental health issues, and liver problems.

  • Certain people may be at higher risk of side effects if they mix Contrave and alcohol. These include people who take insulin, older adults, and women.

  • While there are other weight-loss medications on the market, mixing alcohol with weight-loss medications generally isn’t recommended.

  • It’s best to consult a healthcare provider before consuming alcohol while on Contrave.

In this article:

Contrave is a brand-name medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic (long-term) weight management in certain adults. It should be taken with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. As a combination drug that contains an opioid antagonist and antidepressant, it affects the brain to make you feel fuller and lower your appetite.

Because Contrave is typically prescribed long-term, you may wonder if it’s safe to have a drink or two while taking Contrave. In general, it’s recommended to avoid or limit alcohol during Contrave treatment. This is because alcohol can increase your risk of serious side effects. It can also make you more sensitive to the effects of alcohol.

Can you drink while taking Contrave?

It’s usually recommended to avoid or minimize drinking while taking Contrave. Combining alcohol and Contrave can increase the risk of certain side effects and decrease your alcohol tolerance. This means you may be more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. For those who drink a lot of alcohol, it’s important that you don’t suddenly stop drinking while using Contrave, as this can increase your risk of seizures.

Consult a healthcare provider before consuming alcohol with Contrave. They can discuss whether it’s safe for you to drink and, if so, how much alcohol is safe to drink.

A safety chart of combining Contrave and alcohol

What happens if you mix Contrave and alcohol?

Mixing Contrave with alcohol can raise your risk of serious adverse effects, such as changes in your mood, thinking, behavior, and liver problems. It may also decrease your alcohol tolerance.

Neuropsychiatric events

Contrave contains two active ingredients: bupropion and naltrexone. Mixing bupropion with alcohol can cause neuropsychiatric events—a term that refers to changes in your mood, thoughts, and behaviors. Examples include depression, anxiety, psychosis, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Due to this risk, people who have a history of mental health conditions should be wary of combining alcohol and Contrave.

Liver problems

Contrave can increase the risk of liver problems, including hepatitis and liver dysfunction. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can also cause serious liver problems, especially for people who drink heavily or have been drinking for a long time. Therefore, there may be an increased risk of liver problems when consuming alcohol on Contrave.

Hypoglycemia

Weight-loss aids, such as Contrave, may increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels), especially in those who take insulin or certain diabetes medications. Drinking alcohol can also lower your blood sugar, and the more drinks you have, the higher the risk is. Thus, mixing alcohol and Contrave can make hypoglycemia more likely.

Lower alcohol tolerance

According to Contrave’s prescribing information, it can reduce alcohol tolerance—making a person more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. This means combining alcohol with Contrave can make it harder to think clearly or move with coordination. It may also enhance drowsiness.

Seizures

Bupropion—one of the components of Contrave—can cause seizures. The risk of a seizure increases if you consume a lot of alcohol and suddenly stop drinking. For this reason, it’s recommended to talk to a healthcare professional before abruptly discontinuing alcohol. They can give you medical advice on how to stop drinking safely.

Decreased weight loss

Contrave is approved for weight loss when taken with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. But drinking alcohol during Contrave treatment can reduce the amount of weight you lose. This is because alcohol affects weight by providing empty calories, slowing your metabolism, and increasing food cravings.

Are certain people at greater risk of side effects?

Certain people have an increased risk of complications if they combine Contrave and alcohol. These include:

  • Older adults and women due to an increased risk of sedation, difficulty concentrating, and problems with coordination
  • People who take insulin or diabetes drugs that increase insulin levels due to an increased risk of hypoglycemia
  • People with a history of mental health conditions due to an increased risk of neuropsychiatric events
  • People who drink heavily or chronically (long-term) due to an increased risk of seizures if alcohol is suddenly stopped

How long after taking Contrave can you drink alcohol?

Healthcare providers generally recommend avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption while Contrave is in your system. Therefore, it’s helpful to know how long Contrave can stay in your body.

Contrave contains two active drugs: naltrexone and bupropion. The half-life—the length of time it takes the body to remove half of the drug from your system—of bupropion is about 21 hours, while naltrexone’s half-life is about five hours. It takes about five half-lives for a drug to be cleared from your system—meaning Contrave can stay in your system for about four days. If you’re taking Contrave and want to have a drink or two, it’s best to consult a healthcare provider. They can advise whether it’s safe for you to drink while taking Contrave or if it’s best for you to wait until the drug is out of your system.

Which weight loss medications are not affected by alcohol?

There are several alternative weight-loss treatment options available. However, most have risks when combined with alcohol. Weight-loss drugs that can interact with alcohol include:

  • Wegovy (semaglutide)
  • Saxena (liraglutide)
  • Zepbound (tirzepatide)
  • Alli (orlistat)
  • Adipex-P (phentermine)
  • Invokana (canagliflozin)
  • Imcivree (setmelanotide)

In addition, it’s generally recommended to cut back on alcoholic drinks while trying to lose weight, as alcohol can cause weight gain in a couple of ways. First, alcoholic drinks are high in calories, especially drinks that contain mixers or syrups. Second, alcohol tends to stimulate your appetite, and it may be more difficult to make healthy food choices while you’re drinking.

The bottom line

In most cases, healthcare providers recommend that you avoid or limit alcohol intake while taking Contrave. Mixing the two can increase the risk of serious side effects, including mental health side effects, hypoglycemia, and liver problems. It can also reduce your alcohol tolerance and decrease weight loss. Due to these risks, it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider about alcohol use with Contrave. They can help determine whether drinking in moderation is safe for you.

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