Vodka for colds
With a runny nose and cough, many of us turn to traditional medicine. Together with experts, we figure out whether it is possible to use vodka for a cold and how much it really helps

The s have such a tradition – to go to the doctor as the last resort. Only when homemade recipes no longer help. Alas, it has become part of our mentality. Often we prefer to be treated with folk methods. One of the most common is vodka for colds.

Many consider infusions of alcoholic beverages, such as vodka, to be an effective means of preventing colds.

How safe is this treatment method? We find out whether vodka can really help with the first symptoms of a cold.

Is it possible to drink vodka with a cold

Vodka for s is not just an alcoholic drink. Surfaces are disinfected with it, it is used for medical purposes. However, the supposedly beneficial effect of vodka on the body during a cold is actually a myth. 

The use of vodka for respiratory diseases can harm the body. 

Is it possible to drink vodka with a cold with a temperature

During a cold with a fever, some try to replace antipyretic drugs with vodka. It should be borne in mind that the use of vodka with an increase in basal body temperature during illness can be dangerous. (one)

Many drugs are incompatible with alcohol. If you take medicines and vodka at the same time, the effectiveness of medicines can be minimized. With a high probability, unwanted side effects may occur, such as vomiting, nausea, severe headaches. The simultaneous use of vodka with cold medicines or antibiotics can lead to an irreversible reaction of the body, which creates a high risk for human health and further recovery.

Alcohol in vodka first increases the rate of vasodilation, and then rapidly narrows them. This reaction is dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease.

Frequent use of even a small amount of vodka can lead to tachycardia and arrhythmia.  

Drinking alcohol is fraught with poisoning by toxins. At a high body temperature, in addition to a cold, the immune system also has to deal with the consequences of intoxication, which weakens the body.

Alcohol has a negative effect on the emotional state of a person. It depresses the nervous system of an already weakened organism, which leads to a deterioration in the coordination and functioning of the patient’s brain.

The ethanol present in vodka can cause dehydration. Excessive sweating at elevated body temperature, along with dehydration, can lead to a lack of water in the body. In addition, drinking vodka at high temperatures creates an additional burden on the internal organs, especially the liver. 

A number of studies have confirmed that alcohol during illness can have a detrimental effect on the body, slowing down its recovery. (2)

Is it possible to drink vodka with a cold without a temperature

The use of alcoholic beverages as an anti-cold remedy when the first symptoms of the disease occur is also not the most reliable way of prevention.

Vodka affects the sensitivity of receptors. Sensations are dulled, it seems to the patient that the healing process has begun to take place more actively, the symptoms recede. But when sensitivity returns to the receptors, and the effect of alcohol wears off, the patient’s health worsens again, which can significantly delay the recovery process.

Vodka is often “warmed up” during cold weather, after a long stay in the cold. Due to the sharp expansion of blood vessels, indeed, a person has a feeling of warmth inside the body. But the effect quickly passes, the vessels narrow, causing damage to human health.

Only a moderate use of herbal balms, liqueurs and tinctures can have a beneficial effect on the body. They should be consumed at the stage of recovery, at the very end of a cold. A maximum of one tablespoon of alcohol added to tea is useful. But if you add lemon, honey or berries to the same tea, there will be more benefits, since these products not only increase tone, but also strengthen the body, reduce intoxication. (3)

It is important to remember that any use of strong alcohol has contraindications. The common cold is difficult to distinguish from other, more serious illnesses such as coronavirus infection, sore throat or flu. With a number of colds, drinking vodka is dangerous for human health, even if he does not have a temperature. For example, during a sore throat, strong alcohol drunk in one gulp can “burn” the larynx. Therefore, before drinking any amount of alcohol during an illness, it is imperative to consult a specialist.

Reviews of doctors about taking vodka for colds

With a cold, you need to completely eliminate alcoholic beverages from the diet. Most often, antipyretic drugs are prescribed during an illness, and it is extremely dangerous to combine them with alcohol – the liver receives an extra load. In addition, vodka can lead to gastritis and stomach problems.
Olga Arishevagastroenterologist-hepatologist
Strong alcohol enhances peripheral blood flow, in other words, subjectively, a person becomes warm. You can often hear the common expression “drink vodka to warm up.” That is, vodka can ease some of the symptoms of a cold. But the resulting intoxication will not lead to recovery, but will only delay this process.
Nikolai Dubinin sanitary doctor

Popular questions and answers

Our experts answer the most common questions about the use of hard alcohol for respiratory problems.

Why is it recommended to drink vodka with pepper and does this recipe help?

Vodka with pepper causes a heavy blow to the gastric mucosa, which puts an additional burden on a weakened body. It is better to refrain from such experiments.

Today, there are a large number of more delicate anti-cold drugs, the most suitable of which can be selected by a general practitioner after an examination.

Is it possible to rub vodka with a cold?

Vodka has a cooling effect, so you can make compresses (rub yourself with vodka). But this is worth doing in cases where the temperature is very high and other means do not help. This method is definitely contraindicated in children, people who cannot tolerate the components of vodka, and people suffering from alcoholism. Therefore, before using it, you should consult with a specialist.

Does vodka with salt help with a cold?

Vodka with salt in the common people is used in the initial stages of the disease in the treatment of such ailments as colds, poisoning and diarrhea. Allegedly, salt prevents active fluid loss and dehydration. However, like the use of vodka with pepper, the use of such a mixture will irritate the gastrointestinal tract and worsen the patient’s condition. Drinking vodka with salt during a cold is highly discouraged.

Sources of

  1. Romanovich N. A. Alcohol in Our Country: myths of public opinion and reality // Sociological journal. – 2015. – No. 3. – S. 63-87. – URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/alkogol-v-rossii-mify-obschestvennogo-mneniya-i-realnost.
  2. Tulyakov E. I. The influence of alcohol on the body of an athlete / E. I. Tulyakov // Youth and scientific and technological progress: Collection of reports of the XIV International Scientific and Practical Conference of Students, Postgraduates and Young Scientists. In 2 volumes, Gubkin, April 08–09, 2021 / Comp.: E.N. Ivantsova, V.M. Uvarov. – Gubkin-Stary Oskol: Limited Liability Company “Assistant Plus”, 2021. – P. 763-764. – URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/download/elibrary_46355661_20630319.pdf
  3. Eliseev M. N. Return of forgotten traditions / M. N. Eliseev, L. K. Emelyanova, O. A. Kosareva // Bulletin of the Academy. – № 4. – M.: MOSCOW ACADEMY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP under the Government of Moscow. – 2016. – S. 70-76.

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