Is it safe to drink alcohol when on blood thinners?

It is not recommended to consume alcohol when taking blood thinners, notes WebMD. If alcohol is consumed while taking warfarin, the most common blood thinner, the body's metabolism of the drug can be affected, according to the American Heart Association.

Anticoagulants are commonly called blood thinners even though they actually hinder clotting rather than thinning the blood, as Patient.co.uk explains. Those taking warfarin are advised to limit alcohol, consume less than one to two servings per day and not drink on a daily basis, reports the AHA. Alcohol in combination with warfarin can increase the risk of bleeding easily, according to Drugs.com.