NutriStack
Alcohol and Aspirin Low-Dose, a caution.
Alcohol increases the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding from low-dose aspirin. Aspirin impairs platelet function and weakens gastric mucosal defenses, while alcohol can directly irritate the stomach lining. The risk is higher with daily alcohol use, prior ulcer disease, older age, or any history of GI bleeding.
One pair, every claim cited. The two substances, the type, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
Same shape as the other 1,729 pairs in the public database.
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What the row says.
Every entry follows the same shape: what is happening, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
At a glance
- Substances
- Alcohol and Aspirin Low-Dose
- Pair type
- Caution
- Evidence (highest tier)
- Strong
- Source citations
- 2 sources
- Stack Score effect
- −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).
- Scope
- Supplement × Prescription
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Caution · Strong evidence
Caution
What is happening. Alcohol increases the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding from low-dose aspirin. Aspirin impairs platelet function and weakens gastric mucosal defenses, while alcohol can directly irritate the stomach lining. The risk is higher with daily alcohol use, prior ulcer disease, older age, or any history of GI bleeding.
Mechanism. Aspirin irreversibly inhibits platelet COX-1 and suppresses thromboxane A2, reducing platelet aggregation. It also reduces protective gastric prostaglandins; ethanol adds direct mucosal injury and can worsen bleeding from aspirin-related erosions.
Recommendation. Avoid heavy alcohol use while taking low-dose aspirin. If you drink, keep intake modest and seek urgent care for black stools, vomiting blood, faintness, or unexplained weakness.
Sources (2)
- Kaufman DW, Kelly JP, Wiholm BE, Laszlo A, Sheehan JE, Koff RS, et al. The risk of acute major upper gastrointestinal bleeding among users of aspirin and ibuprofen at various levels of alcohol consumption. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999;94(11):3189-3196. PMID 10566713
- Strate LL, Singh P, Boylan MR, Piawah S, Cao Y, Chan AT. A Prospective Study of Alcohol Consumption and Smoking and the Risk of Major Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Men. PLoS One. 2016;11(11):e0165278. PMID 27824864
Stack Score
How this pair moves the number.
Effect on the composite score
If both Alcohol and Aspirin Low-Dose are in the same stack, this pair applies −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).
The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are documented at /methodology/stack-score.
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