A liver enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 or ALDH2 breaks acetaldehyde down into less toxic substances. Some people have a genetic condition that means that they do not make this enzyme. Because of this, acetaldehyde builds up in the body after alcohol consumption, which causes the characteristic red flushing of the face after drinking.
Even though anyone can lack this gene, it is more common for people from East Asia not to have it. Unfortunately, you can't change the genes or enzyme deficiency.
The only way to prevent this red flush and the connected risk for high blood pressure is to avoid alcohol or at least limit the intake of it.
Some people use over the counter antihistamines to reduce the discoloration. However, this is not advised by experts. Even though some people may find the flushed skin embarrassing, it is a sign that the body is accumulating toxic levels of acetaldehyde and that it is time to slow down and to drink water.
It is very important to know that even people who do not get this kind of reaction when drinking alcohol are still at risk of the health issues of alcohol use, including high blood pressure, cancer, liver disease, and even stomach problems. Getting a red face after downing alcoholic beverages is not a sign of strong qi energy flow or good blood circulation, but rather, it is an indication that your body is not metabolising alcohol efficiently.
The main method that the body metabolises or breaks down alcohol is dependent on two enzymes:. Due to genomic differences, 80 per cent of Asians have an overactive alcohol dehydrogenase. Hence, they break down alcohol into acetaldehyde very quickly — even up to times quicker.
On the other hand, most Asians have an inactive variant of the second before-mentioned liver enzyme ALDH2. This means that the by-product acetaldehyde takes a much longer to clear from their blood. The problem goes beyond aesthetics: Acetaldehyde is more toxic than alcohol and a known cancer-causing agent. If you have Asian flush syndrome and drink two beers a day, your risk of oesophageal cancer is up to 10 times higher than that of a person who has normal ALDH2.
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Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. It was somewhere around my third year of college when I began to develop a taste for wine as opposed to, say, marshmallow-flavored vodka.
It was also around this time I started to notice my face sometimes felt weird after drinking certain types of alcohol.
After a glass or two of red wine , in particular, my face would suddenly become bright red—an annoying detail, sure, but the real annoyance was just how hot it felt after drinking. Sometimes, this was accompanied by a slightly stuffy nose, too.
Am I allergic to red wine? I would ask myself, only to answer my own question the next time I drank wine with no side effects whatsoever. It may help facial redness by narrowing blood vessels in the skin.
Some people also use lasers and light-based therapies to reduce redness. Treatments can help improve the look of visible blood vessels. They can actually mask important symptoms that could signal a problem. The only way to prevent facial flushing from drinking is to avoid or limit your alcohol consumption. If you do drink, try to drink moderately.
Medicines that disguise the symptoms of alcohol intolerance may make you feel like you can drink more than you should. This can be dangerous, especially if you have an ALDH2 deficiency. Facial flushing while drinking is usually due to an ALDH2 deficiency, which may make alcohol consumption more harmful to your health.
People of Asian and Jewish descent are more likely to have this problem. While treatments may hide the redness, they only cover up your symptoms.
If you experience facial flushing while drinking, you should try to limit or avoid alcohol. Talk to your doctor if you think you might have an ALDH2 deficiency. Tests are available to confirm that you have the altered gene.
While consuming alcohol in moderation is unlikely to be harmful, drinking in excess can have considerable negative health effects. Learn how the body…. This is called alcoholic liver….
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