Alcohol Intolerance: Understanding The Condition

Alcohol intolerance can cause immediate, unpleasant reactions after you drink alcohol. The most common signs and symptoms of alcohol intolerance are stuffy nose and skin flushing. Alcohol intolerance is caused by a genetic condition in which the body is unable to break down alcohol efficiently. Unlike allergies, this isn’t about the immune system at all—it’s really about how your body processes alcohol.

Ways to Manage Alcohol Intolerance:

• Dr. Wakim co-founded and served as the CEO of Transformations leading to a successful merger with Shore Capital in May 2021.
• It’s also possible to be allergic to proteins in filling agents, such as egg or shellfish, which manufacturers sometimes use to remove fine particles from alcoholic beverages.
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• During this phase, individuals experience withdrawal symptoms when not drinking, such as irritability, anxiety, or tremors.
• Alcohol intolerance is usually a genetic condition – caused by the body’s inability to break down alcohol efficiently.

If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction and develops sudden alcohol intolerance, it’s crucial to seek out a detox center for treatment. Medical detox provides medical care and supervision to manage the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal and minimize the risk of potentially fatal complications. It is important to distinguish between alcohol allergy and alcohol intolerance, as the two terms are often mistakenly used interchangeably. Alcohol allergy is an immune system response to certain ingredients in alcoholic beverages, not to the alcohol itself. This condition is primarily due to a genetic deficiency in the enzyme aldehyde drinking out of boredom dehydrogenase (ALDH2), which is responsible for breaking down alcohol in the body.

• But the next day, that greasy meal they enjoyed can become a source of anxiety.
• For instance, some people may react poorly to certain grains like barley or wheat, which are used in many beers and spirits.
• By intervening early, healthcare professionals prevent the development of long-term health complications and enhance the individual’s ability to achieve sustained recovery.
• Alcohol impacts your intestines’ ability to absorb certain nutrients, leading to shortfalls in zinc, selenium, potassium, iron, and magnesium.
• Alcohol intolerance can be extremely frustrating to people who like to drink alcohol but can also affect those who do not.

When to see a doctor

Of these symptoms, facial flushing is the most common and will almost always be present. With alcohol intolerance, these symptoms will begin almost immediately after exposure to alcohol. While drinking alcohol is the most common trigger, other actions, like using cough syrup containing alcohol or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, may also trigger these symptoms. On top of that, how intense these symptoms are can vary quite a bit from person to person.

• This is when uncomfortable but non-life-threatening symptoms are presented as the body cannot breakdown the alcohol or another component of the alcoholic drink.
• Moreover, recent studies are shedding light on histamine and sulfite sensitivities, which often complicate the picture of alcohol intolerance.
• In some cases, reactions may also result from an allergy to a grain such as corn or wheat in alcoholic beverages.
• Unlike alcohol intolerance, alcohol allergy varies greatly between people, ranging from irritating to deadly.

Liver Disease (Cirrhosis)

Alcohol intolerance is a condition caused by the body’s inability to break down alcohol. This is because the condition is genetic, and the enzyme deficiency that causes alcohol intolerance occurs at higher rates in people of that genetic background. However, it is important to understand that while alcohol intolerance is more common in the Asian population, this enzyme deficiency can and does affect people of any culture. With this knowledge, you can choose alternatives to help you avoid the symptoms of alcohol intolerance. Once detox is complete, you can undergo formal addiction treatment to address the underlying causes of addiction, which may include family therapy, group therapy, or behavioral therapies.

It’s also worth reducing your exposure to other ingredients which cause intolerances, like gluten, histamine, corn, and yeast. Your genetic test will be able to advise you on which of these substances will worsen your side effects. For instance, people of East Asian descent are more likely to have the genetic component that causes alcohol intolerance. Some research suggests that the gene change responsible for deficiencies in ALDH2 may have something to do with the domestication of rice in southern China many centuries ago. An alcohol intolerance, on the other hand, can cause similar side effects, though often to a lesser extent. Alcohol intolerance is a genetic issue that prevents the body from breaking down alcohol efficiently, which means it is inherited within biological families and will affect you your entire life.

• If untreated, cirrhosis leads to liver failure, which is fatal without a liver transplant.
• There, they will perform a skin prick test, during which a drop of alcohol is applied to the surface of your skin before being pricked with a fine needle and observed for a potential reaction.
• Whether it’s sparkling water with a twist of lime or a fancy mocktail, you can still join in the fun without compromising your health.
• Alcohol intolerance can happen the first time you drink alcohol, or it may come on suddenly later in life.

Why do some drinks cause worse symptoms than others?

Unfortunately, nothing can prevent reactions to alcohol or ingredients in alcoholic beverages. To avoid a reaction, avoid alcohol or the particular substance that causes your reaction. Alcohol intolerance is caused by a genetic condition in which the body can’t break down alcohol efficiently. Alcohol intolerance can cause immediate, uncomfortable reactions after you drink alcohol. Early intervention is important for alcohol addiction because it reduces the likelihood of progression to severe dependency and improves treatment outcomes.

Genetic Testing

Congeners are the byproducts of fermentation that end up in alcoholic beverages, and they are most commonly found in darker spirits like whiskey, rum, and brandy. While fermentation is a natural part of how we produce alcohol, congeners can play a significant role in how we feel after a night of drinking. Dr Deborah Lee of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy stresses that, if you ever have any of the allergy symptoms after drinking alcohol, you should call 999 without delay.