Alcohol

You cannot give blood if you are under the influence of alcohol.

You must not consume alcohol on the day of donation, alcohol intake can lead to dehydration which increases the likelihood of fainting after donation.

You must drink plenty of non-alcoholic drinks in the 24 hours before and after donating, to help prevent fainting.

You cannot give blood if you are taking Disulfiram (Antabuse) or within 7 days of stopping it. This is because Antabuse can cause severe reactions in a patient whose blood contains alcohol.