Can I take Azithromycin with dairy?

Posted by marieaw @marieaw, 6 days ago

I am just starting the 3 meds for MAC, and the pharmacist said not to take milk at the same time as Azithromycin. Was anyone else told that?

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | 1 day ago

@marieaw This is a common question here. The short answer is, it is fine to take azithromycin with dairy.

The longer answer is that dairy should be avoided with many common antibiotics (though it can be fine spaced out), BUT azithromycin is a different class of antibiotics, not affected by calcium and dairy.

Here is a good explanation:
https://sciencescout.blog/can-you-eat-dairy-with-azithromycin
The patient insert contains no caution about avoiding dairy or calcium: https://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx

Why did the pharmacist say what they did? When counselling patients, sometimes providers operate on autopilot, and the conventional wisdom is that calcium interferes with the absorption of many of the most common antibiotics (tetracycline, doxycycline, chlorquinolones) but does NOT affect macrolides like azithromycin or clarithromycin and does not affect the penicillin class of antibiotics. Dairy does not affect rifampin or ethambutol either.

Bottom line - if you are on the Big3, you do not need to avoid dairy.

ursala7 | @ursala7 | 2 hours ago

Just had my ID doctor appointment and he encouraged full fat dairy products to aid in weight gain. Also said there are no prohibitions against eating dairy and taking the Big 3 meds.