Asian Flush & Alcohol Allergy: Definitions and Cures

Before we start to understand why we experience Asian flush and alcohol allergy, it is first important to look at the biological process that the body undergoes when we drink alcohol. When you consume alcohol it is absorbed by the body into your blood, via the esophagus, stomach and small intestine. The time taken for the alcohol to absorb into your bloodstream can vary from anywhere between 15 minutes to a few hours. The severity of your Asian flush or alcohol allergy will be contingent on a number of factors including whether you are male or female, your body mass, the type and strength of the alcohol that was consumed, and the amount and type of food that you have in your stomach.



The alcohol is absorbed into you blood stream and makes its way to your brain. The moment the alcohol reaches the brain you will feel a slight change in your mental state. You become slightly light headed, cheerful, and more sociable. This is because alcohol targets the area of the brain that controls your inhibitions. This is why people are more talkative and appear to have more fun after having getting a few drinks into their system.



Researchers have shown that as many as 50 percent of people of Asian descent experience a red flushed complexion after drinking alcohol. "Asian Flush", more technically referred to by scientists as "Alcohol Flush Reaction" and sometimes "alcohol allergy", describes our body's inability to completely break-down alcohol that has been ingested by our bodies.



The reason why people with Asian Flush and alcohol allergy have trouble breaking down the alcohol is because they have inactive enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), which is normally responsible for breaking down acetaldehyde, a byproduct of the metabolism of alcohol. Acetaldehyde is a toxin and, as result of your body not being able to properly break it down, this toxin accumulates and causes the red flushing that we all commonly refer to as Asian Flush or recognize as a symptom of alcohol allergy.



Whilst the red flushing is the most common and reported symptom among sufferers of Asian Flush and alcohol allergy, other symptoms you might experience include dizziness, nausea, headaches, and an increased pulse.



Scientists have very little knowledge as to why Asian flush occurs in people of Asian descent, but empirical studies have shown that the enzyme deficiency that causes Asian Flush is genetic and can potentially be passed down by both parents. Tolerance levels and the severity of flushing and other symptoms vary from individual to individual. Some studies have also shown that while the majority of suffers appear to be of Asian decent, there is some evidence that aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 is inactive in higher than average levels in people of Jewish descent as well.



According to the weight of medical opinion, there isn't much we can do to fix Asian flush or the symptoms of alcohol allergy. We were born with it any we're most likely going to die with it - this my friends is something we're going to have to live with. However, there are several remedies available on the internet that have been proven to be successful in treating Asian Flush.



In contrast to Asian flush and related toxic reactions to alcohol discussed above, allergic reactions to alcohol are relatively uncommon. In people with extremely severe alcohol allergy, as little as 1ml of pure alcohol (about a mouthful of beer) is enough to provoke severe rashes, breathing difficulties, stomach cramps and even unconsciousness.



When the liver breaks down alcohol and converts it into acetaldehyde (as discussed above), the acetaldehyde is then transformed into acetic acid (vinegar). The alcohol allergy occurs if the alcohol cannot be broken down. This is because, as well as ethanol, alcoholic beverages contain other things such as yeast, hop, grape, barley, wheat natural food chemicals, wood derived substances and preservatives. Severe alcohol allergies have been described in people who experience allergic reactions to proteins within grapes, yeast, hops, barley and wheat and some of the other abovementioned substances. These people are not sensitive to alcohol itself, and accurately speaking, do not suffer from an 'alcohol' allergy. In addition to this, fining agents (such as egg or seafood proteins) are often used to remove fine particles from the alcoholic liquid. These may also be the catalyst for the allergic reactions, rather than the alcohol itself.



Is Asian flush an alcohol allergy?



There are many sources that claim that mere facial flushing is not an alcohol allergy. There are also many sources that state that most doctors are incorrect in saying that Asian flush is not an alcohol allergy and that if you speak to a geneticist they will tell you that Asian flush is in actual fact an allergic reaction, albeit, a result of an enzyme deficiency.



Whatever the classification, it does seem that sufferers of Asian flush and alcohol allergy both experience similar side effects. Furthermore, it also seems that those side effects are a result of the alcohol break-down process whereby alcohol converts into acetaldehyde which is then transformed into vinegar.



A Cure: Pepcid AC and Zantac as possible remedies for Asian flush and alcohol allergy?



If you surf the net for long enough you will most likely encounter websites and forums talking about the use of Pepcid AC, Zantac and other stomach antacid medications as a possible remedy for the alcohol red face reaction suffered by people with Asian flush and alcohol allergy. First and foremost it should be noted that these are pharmaceuticals and whether it be for an upset stomach or otherwise people should consult their doctor or pharmacist before taking any medications.



So do they work to prevent Asian Flush and Alcohol Allergy?



The short answer? NO, not by themsevles. H2 blockers like Zantac and Pepcid AC can help in reducing the asian flush alcohol allergy reaction as a result of their antihistamine properties. Alcohol is known to irritate the lining of the stomach and increase production of gastric acid. It is commonly known that antacids function by reducing gastric acid production in the stomach, but they may also have an additional effect of inhibiting alcohol dehydrogenase, thus slowing down the metabolism of alcohol to acetaldehyde and enabling the deficient enzyme in Asian Flush sufferers to metabolize toxic acetaldehyde to non-toxic vinegar.



From a survey of various anecdotal account of using Pepcid AC and Zantac as a remedy for Asian Flush, it seems that the results are mixed. Some users reported experiencing a slightly reduced facial flushing, however there are rarely cases where the use of Pepcid AC and Zantac alone have totally eliminated the Asian Flush reaction by themselves. Other users reported no change whatsoever from their normal degree of facial flushing, however they reported excellent results after using the no red face formula.