Q I drink alcohol fairly often. Is it okay to keep drinking while taking tonic medicine?
A Alcohol directly depletes kidney energy, which significantly reduces the effect of tonic medicine. Cutting back during your course is recommended.
Detailed Answer
In Korean Medicine, alcohol is a classic trigger for damp-heat and damage to kidney energy. If you drink frequently while taking kidney-yang-strengthening herbs like deer antler or morinda root, the energy lost exceeds what's being replenished, sharply reducing the effect.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
During your course of tonic medicine, it's ideal to limit drinking to once a week or less, and no more than one or two drinks at a time. For busy professionals with frequent work dinners, we can adjust the timing of your treatment around dinner-heavy seasons, or add liver-supporting herbs before and after drinking. Please be sure to share your drinking habits at your consultation.
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