Exact Answer: 4 to 6 hours at least
Acetaminophen or Tylenol is used to treat mild to moderate pain. It treats headaches, menstrual cramps, toothaches, or backaches. It is important to give the prescribed Tylenol to the prescribed age. Children should never be given Tylenol meant for adults. Tylenol is harmless and doesn’t have any side effects, but still, there are a few precautions to be taken after you consume a tablet. Mixing alcohol and medicine, or consuming one after the other in a very short span of time is never the best option. Alcohol can change how medicine works and vice versa. In any case, stay away from alcohol if you are on medications.
How Long After Tylenol Can You Drink?
It is better to stay away from alcohol at least for half a day because there isn’t an exact prediction. Some studies say 4 hours while some say 8. Here is what most people suggest:
| Time | Level of Tylenol drop in blood |
| In 4 hours | 50% |
| In 8 hours | 75% |
| In 12 hours | 88% |
The reason you shouldn’t take alcohol after or with Tylenol is that it affects your liver. If you are taking a high dosage of the tablet or if you are taking it with other tablets that may have an effect on the liver, it is better to stay away from alcohol for a whole day. If it’s just Tylenol and if it is taken in a relatively lesser quantity, then you may consume alcohol in about 6 hours. You may take Acetaminophen for a headache caused by drinking alcohol. But if the dosage is 4000 mg or more, you shouldn’t be consuming alcohol before or after 12 hours at the least. If you are a regular drinker and your intake is more than the recommended amount, it is better you take Tylenol only on rare occasions. There are some side effects that suggest your body no longer takes Tylenol and Alcohol together. A rapid heart breath, stomach ulcers, and bleeding are signs that your body is not able to handle what’s happening.
As long as you take Tylenol as directed, you can drink in moderation. Anything is fine as long as it sticks to its recommended amount of consumption. The kind of alcohol you are consuming also matters because not all drinks contain an equal amount of alcohol.
Why Does it Take So Long to Drink Alcohol After Tylenol?
Tylenol itself is a little toxic in a low margin. Alcohol consumption is going to make it higher. People may get their liver damaged by increased consumption of both Tylenol and alcohol. In this case, you can imagine what happens when you take them together. Alcohol has a greater impact on the digestive system than medicines do. Taking it with alcohol or consuming them in a relatively shorter gap is not going to serve the medicine its value.
Medicines, sometimes, come with side effects. It may or may not act in the body. Alcohol is going to bring out the side effects of the medicines and is going to create adverse reactions in your body. Doctors suggest that it is still okay to take alcohol along with acetaminophen in limited measures as long as your liver is in perfect condition. If your liver is already a little damaged, Acetaminophen along with alcohol is going to be very fatal. Alcohol is going to stop the enzymes that process the acetaminophen in the liver. Tylenol sometimes produces harmful substances. Your liver then removes it and protects your body. Alcohol damages your liver, which in turn is going to stop your liver from protecting your body. Damage to your liver stops it from filtering out chemical substances. The damage caused by the combination of Tylenol and Alcohol is acute liver damage which can even cause death. To stay on the safer, it is necessary to not mix alcohol and Tylenol for a period of at least 8 hours.
Conclusion
You may need to consult your doctor if you can consume alcohol with the prescribed medicines. You should let the medicine perform its function – heal! Alcohol is going to worsen your body when taken with medicines or even otherwise. It also varies from person to person. Some might be just as fine whereas some might get severely sick. For the benefit of your health and to bring out the complete effectiveness of your medicine, it is better to stay away from alcohol completely or just for half a day when you are taking Tylenol or other medications that might have an effect on your liver.