How Alcohol Affects Sickle Cell Disease
C-shaped (or sickle-shaped) red blood cells can block blood flow and cut off oxygen to tissues and organs, which can cause episodes of severe pain and other serious complications.
Dehydration affects blood flow and can make blood cells stick together more — that’s why patients with sickle cell are always advised to stay hydrated, says Nirmish Shah, MD, an associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. “Alcohol, however, leads to a dehydrated state,” he says.
Your liver and kidneys are also a concern, because sickle cell disease can damage those organs. “Patients need to be careful, since alcohol can cause toxicity to the liver and kidneys,” says Dr. Shah.
People who get blood transfusions to treat sickle cell disease can also build up too much iron in their organs, a problem called iron overload.
People who have iron overload may be at higher risk of a liver injury related to alcohol, says Payal Desai, MD, director of the Adult Sickle Cell Clinic at Atrium Health Levine Cancer in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Alcohol and Your Tolerance
“With sickle cell disease, alcohol can lead to more severe complications at lower doses, due to dehydration,” says Dr. Desai.
Being female also lowers a person’s tolerance for alcohol, because women reach higher blood alcohol levels than men of the same weight after drinking equal amounts.
But there’s no data showing that alcohol affects men and women with sickle cell disease differently, Desai says.
A bone marrow transplant is a potential cure for sickle cell disease (as are two gene therapies).
Whether you can drink safely after a bone marrow transplant depends on how long it’s been since your transplant and what other medications you take, says Desai. There’s no general guidance, so talk with the team providing your care.
