Can You Drink Rubbing Alcohol? Risks, Effects, and What to Do

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What you will learn

• Rubbing alcohol contains isopropyl alcohol, which is toxic and should never be consumed under any circumstances.
• Drinking even small amounts of rubbing alcohol can cause serious poisoning, affecting the brain, liver, kidneys, and other vital organs.
• Symptoms of isopropyl alcohol poisoning include nausea, vomiting, confusion, difficulty breathing, and, in severe cases, coma or death.
• Emergency medical treatment may include intravenous fluids, respiratory support, and, in extreme cases, hemodialysis to remove the toxin from the body.
• If someone drinks rubbing alcohol, call 911 immediately and contact poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

Drinking rubbing alcohol can lead to severe poisoning and serious medical complications [1]. This article provides information about rubbing alcohol and poisoning from ingesting isopropyl alcohol. You will learn how to identify the symptoms of poisoning from rubbing alcohol and how to handle the situation if it occurs.

What Is Rubbing Alcohol?

Definition and Common Uses

What is commonly known as rubbing alcohol refers to isopropyl alcohol. There are many uses of rubbing alcohol in homes today, including disinfecting small injuries, cleaning common surfaces, and preparing the skin for certain medical procedures. In addition, people will also use rubbing alcohol for cleaning electronics, removing sticky substances from different types of surfaces, and many other uses.

Chemical Composition

The rubbing alcohol you purchase at a pharmacy or store typically contains high concentrations of isopropyl alcohol, usually ranging from 70% to 99%. This chemical is fundamentally different from ethanol found in beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits. Isopropyl alcohol is not food-grade, meaning it lacks the safety profile required for human consumption. The high concentration and chemical structure make it significantly more toxic to the human body than drinking ethanol [2].

Why People Might Ask About Drinking It

You might wonder why anyone would ask about drinking rubbing alcohol. Some people may be curious about its effects, may not have access to drinking alcohol, or may be struggling with alcohol abuse disorder. Others, particularly children, might consume rubbing alcohol accidentally, mistaking it for water or another beverage. Regardless of the reason, it’s essential to understand that drinking rubbing alcohol can lead to serious injury or death [3].

What Happens If You Drink Rubbing Alcohol?

How Isopropyl Alcohol Affects the Body

When consuming isopropyl alcohol, your body will quickly absorb the alcohol via the stomach and intestines while also adding it to your bloodstream just several minutes after ingestion. It will travel to all areas of your body, including your brain, liver, kidneys, and other important organs. Unlike ethanol, which your body metabolizes into acetaldehyde and then acetic acid, isopropyl alcohol breaks down into acetone, the same chemical found in nail polish remover. This metabolic process creates additional toxic effects that compound the danger [3].

Immediate Effects

Shortly after consuming rubbing alcohol, you’ll experience central nervous system depression, similar to what happens with drinking ethanol, but much more intense and dangerous. The immediate effects include dizziness, confusion, severe headaches, and overwhelming nausea. Many people also experience abdominal pain as the rubbing alcohol irritates the stomach lining and gastrointestinal tract [1].

What Happens If You Drink Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is a toxic substance that produces many negative reactions throughout your body after consumption. It irritates the lining of your stomach and intestines and may cause excessive vomiting and possible aspiration, resulting in vomit entering the lungs. Aspiration poses a high risk for developing pneumonia and other respiratory conditions. As the effects of isopropyl alcohol move through the body, many cognitive functions become impaired due to its toxicity. In addition to cognitive impairment, isopropyl alcohol creates issues with coordination and balance and has negative effects on motor skills.

Severe Effects of Toxicity

In cases of significant to critical levels of poisoning, drinking rubbing alcohol will result in respiratory depression, characterized by dangerously slow and shallow breathing, as well as hypotension, where blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels, resulting in less oxygen being circulated throughout the body and to vital organs.

The long-term effects of rubbing alcohol on an individual’s system include irreversible damage to their kidneys and liver because these organs process and cleanse the bloodstream of the toxic compounds [4].

Potential Long-Term Consequences

People who consume large amounts of isopropyl alcohol (generally defined as greater than five ounces) may incur the risk of long-lasting kidney damage due to impaired filtering capacity for the removal of body toxins, impaired function of their liver, and possible ongoing neurological impairments including memory issues and cognitive impairment that could last many years following acute exposures [3].

Signs and Symptoms of Isopropyl Alcohol Poisoning

Early Symptoms

Recognizing the early signs of isopropyl alcohol poisoning can save a life [1]. The first symptoms you’ll notice include pronounced nausea and vomiting, often more severe than what you’d experience with drinking too much ethanol. Abdominal pain accompanies these digestive symptoms, as the chemical irritates the stomach lining. You may also notice drowsiness and an unsteady gait, with difficulty walking or maintaining balance.

Moderate Toxicity Signs

As poisoning develops, confusion grows more pronounced and speech becomes slurred and difficult to understand [5]. Blood pressure drops, and the person may become lightheaded or faint. Heart rate usually speeds up as the body attempts to adjust to low blood pressure and the effects of the toxin. The poisoned person may appear very confused and may not be able to answer simple questions or identify familiar people or places.

Severe Symptoms

In severe cases of rubbing alcohol poisoning, the symptoms become life-threatening:

• Significant difficulty breathing or respiratory failure
• Complete loss of consciousness or inability to wake the person
• Seizures or convulsions
• Extremely low blood pressure leading to shock
• Bluish tint to the lips or fingernails, indicating lack of oxygen

Any of these severe symptoms requires emergency medical intervention, as they indicate critical poisoning that can rapidly lead to death without proper treatment.

How Is It Treated Medically?

Immediate First Aid

Call 911 or your local emergency service immediately if someone has ingested rubbing alcohol. Timely action is critical in these situations. Do not attempt to induce vomiting due to the risk of aspiration if the individual is unconscious, unresponsive, or only partially awake. While awaiting emergency services, you can call your local poison control center (1-800-222-1222), which can provide additional guidance.

Hospital Evaluation

As soon as emergency medical responders arrive or the patient reaches the hospital, the medical team will quickly evaluate the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation. They will monitor vital signs including heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation, and run lab tests to confirm the presence of isopropyl alcohol in the bloodstream and assess kidney and liver function. [3]

Specific Medical Treatments

The main goal of treatment for isopropyl alcohol poisoning is to help the body eliminate the toxin. In certain cases, healthcare providers may administer activated charcoal, but this depends on the timing and clinical judgment. Providing intravenous fluids is essential because they support blood pressure and enhance kidney function to help remove toxins from the blood. Supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation may be used if a patient has difficulty breathing. For patients with very high levels of isopropyl alcohol in their blood, hemodialysis can be performed to directly remove the toxic substance from the bloodstream.

How Treatment Helps

Medical intervention aims to prevent life-threatening complications such as respiratory failure, shock, and organ damage. By providing supportive care, healthcare professionals give the body the best chance to metabolize and eliminate the isopropyl alcohol while preventing secondary complications [3]. The duration of treatment varies depending on how much rubbing alcohol was consumed and how quickly medical care began.

What Not to Do

Several actions can worsen the situation. Never wait for symptoms to worsen before seeking help, as this delay can be fatal. Avoid any home remedies or folk treatments, as these lack scientific support and waste precious time. Do not induce vomiting, whether through your fingers or with substances like ipecac, as this significantly increases the risk of aspiration.

Prevention and Safe Handling

Store Rubbing Alcohol Safely

Preventing accidental ingestion starts with proper storage. Keep rubbing alcohol in a locked cabinet or on a high shelf, well out of reach of children and pets. Store it away from food and beverages to prevent confusion.

Proper Labeling and Usage

Never transfer rubbing alcohol into unmarked containers or containers that previously held beverages or food. Always use rubbing alcohol only for its intended external purposes: cleaning surfaces, disinfecting skin, or sanitizing objects.

Recognizing Household Products That Contain Isopropyl Alcohol

Beyond bottles labeled “rubbing alcohol,” many household products contain isopropyl alcohol. Hand sanitizers, some cleaning products, and disinfecting wipes may contain high concentrations of this chemical. The ingestion risks for these products are similar to drinking rubbing alcohol directly.