A cold is one of the most common illnesses that affects people. It is estimated that adults get around 2-3 colds per year and children get even more. The symptoms of a cold include runny nose, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, mild fever, and general fatigue. While colds usually resolve on their own within 7-10 days, the symptoms can make you feel miserable. This leads many people to try various home remedies and folk cures to find relief, including drinking alcohol like tequila. But is tequila actually an effective way to treat a cold? Let’s take a deeper look at the evidence.
What is Tequila?
Tequila is a distilled alcoholic drink made from the blue agave plant native to Mexico. To make tequila, the heart of the blue agave plant called the piña is roasted, fermented, and then distilled. The main active ingredient in tequila is alcohol, specifically ethanol. Tequila typically contains between 38-40% alcohol.
The most common types of tequila include:
- Blanco or silver – Unaged white tequila
- Reposado – Aged 2-12 months in oak barrels
- Añejo – Aged 1-3 years in oak barrels
- Extra añejo – Aged 3+ years in oak barrels
Some potential health benefits have been associated with certain agave compounds and antioxidants found in 100% blue agave tequila. However, research is still preliminary.
Does Alcohol Help Treat Colds?
There are a few reasons why people think that drinking alcohol may help ease cold symptoms:
- Alcohol may help you relax and sleep better
- Drinking warms your body temporarily
- Alcohol has a sedative effect
- Some folk medicine claims that liquor “disinfects” the body and kills germs
However, medical research has found very little evidence that alcohol is an effective way to treat colds or other viral illnesses. Here are some key points:
- While alcohol may help you relax and potentially improve sleep, it disrupts normal sleep patterns.
- Any warming effect from drinking alcohol is very brief. Within an hour, it actually causes vasodilation that makes you lose more body heat.
- The sedative effects of alcohol are short-lived. It does not decrease the runny nose, coughing, or sneezing of a cold.
- There’s no scientific proof that alcohol kills viruses or boosts your immune system. Heavy drinking can actually weaken your immunity.
Overall, medical experts agree that alcohol does not effectively treat cold symptoms or shorten the duration of a cold.
Can Drinking Tequila Make Your Cold Worse?
While a nightcap may help you fall asleep when you have a cold, drinking too much tequila or alcohol can end up making your cold symptoms worse in the long run. Here are some of the downsides:
- Alcohol causes dehydration, which is already a concern when you have a cold. Dehydration can worsen headaches, fatigue, and sinus congestion.
- Heavy alcohol use damages immune cells in your system, allowing viruses to thrive.
- Drinking can inflame the lining of your respiratory tract, aggravating coughs and sore throat.
- Hangovers from drinking exacerbate common cold symptoms like headache and fatigue.
- Alcohol impairs sleep quality after the initial sedation wears off.
Medical professionals advise not drinking more than 1-2 servings of alcohol per day when you’re healthy. Heavy drinking when you have a viral illness can definitely make symptoms worse.
Other Potential Side Effects of Drinking Tequila with a Cold
There are a few other potential adverse effects that can occur if you drink tequila when you have a cold:
- Interactions with cold medications – Alcohol interacts with many common OTC cold and cough medicines. Combining alcohol with acetaminophen, antihistamines, decongestants, expectorants, and cough syrups can increase side effects.
- Irritated digestive system – Heavy alcohol consumption can further irritate your throat and stomach when you already have cold symptoms.
- Lowered judgment and coordination – Tequila can impair coordination and decision-making abilities. This may make you less aware of worsening cold symptoms.
- Congested sinuses – Drinking alcohol can dilate blood vessels and increase nasal congestion.
- Slowed recovery – Alcohol suppresses your immune system, which may prolong how long it takes to recover from a cold.
It’s generally best to avoid drinking alcohol, especially heavily, when your body needs rest and fluids to recover from an illness.
Are There Any Benefits to Drinking Tequila with a Cold?
Despite the drawbacks, a small amount of tequila may offer a few benefits when you have a cold:
- The sedative effects can promote sleep when nighttime coughing and congestion are keeping you up.
- A warm shot of tequila can temporarily relieve congestion and soothe a sore throat.
- A small amount of alcohol may improve mood and reduce feelings of illness.
- 100% agave tequila contains antioxidants that support a healthy immune response.
- Tequila can aid hydration if consumed with plenty of water.
Any benefits would rely on consuming no more than 1 shot or cocktail made with 100% agave tequila. Heavy, frequent drinking does more harm than good when you’re sick.
Scientific Research on Tequila and Colds
There is limited scientific research specifically on tequila’s effects on colds and respiratory illnesses. However, a few relevant studies have found:
- A 2005 study gave mice with influenza A extracts of blue agave. It decreased symptom severity and lung inflammation.
- Mice fed blue agave extracts for 2 weeks showed increased immunity and resistance to infection.
- Feeding mice a blue agave nectar solution for 7 days reduced fever and enhanced antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus pneumonia.
- Blue agave contains compounds like saponins, fructans, and phytosterols that may support immunity.
Overall, the research suggests compounds in agave have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting properties in mice. However, effects in humans still need more investigation, especially regarding tequila.
Pros and Cons of Drinking Tequila with a Cold
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Tips for Consuming Tequila with a Cold
If you do choose to drink tequila when you have a cold, here are some tips to minimize downsides:
- Limit intake to 1 shot or cocktail made with 1.5 oz tequila; avoid overdoing it
- Sip slowly and hydrate with water between drinks
- Avoid mixed drinks with added sugars, which dehydrate you
- Don’t take tequila with any cold medications or other drugs
- Eat food before and while drinking to reduce absorption
- Pick high-quality 100% agave tequila for more antioxidants
- Drink earlier in the day to prevent disrupting sleep
- Stop drinking if symptoms worsen
Being ill with a cold also lowers your alcohol tolerance, so drink with extra caution.
The Bottom Line
While a small amount of 100% agave tequila may provide brief relief for some cold symptoms, medical science does not support using it as an effective remedy. Drinking too much tequila is more likely to increase dehydration, irritate your throat and sinuses, impair sleep quality, and prolong your illness. Moderation and proper hydration are key if you choose to drink. Focus on proven treatments like rest, fluids, over-the-counter medicines, honey, saltwater gargles, humidifiers, and chicken soup to ease your cold symptoms and get better faster.