Continuing to drink alcohol while knowing you are intolerant (or allergic) can also have severe health consequences. However, a person is usually allergic or intolerant to certain ingredients in the drink, rather than the alcohol itself. If people experience symptoms after drinking alcohol, they should speak with a doctor for further advice. In some cases, reactions may also result from an allergy to a grain such as corn or wheat in alcoholic beverages. If a person combines alcohol with certain medications, this may also cause a reaction. Alcohol intolerance may cause a person to experience immediate reactions after they drink alcohol, or they may develop it hours after, the day after, or even later in life.
Another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), then turns acetaldehyde into non-toxic acetic acid (vinegar). Alcohol intolerance is an inherited metabolic disorder that will cause unpleasant sensations and digestive upset. When alcohol is consumed, those who have alcohol intolerance will experience a variety of symptoms that tax their bodies. Combining heavy alcohol use or addiction with alcohol intolerance can result in painful and potentially long-term effects on the body.
How Do I Get Tested for Sensitivity to Alcoholic Drink Ingredients?
Also, if your symptoms seem to be linked to an allergy or a medication you’re taking, see your doctor. Because the condition what causes alcohol intolerance is inherited, there is no way to cure or treat it. Your healthcare provider can recommend ways to limit unpleasant symptoms.
Alcohol intolerance caused by genetics is diagnosed through genetic testing. More commonly, however, it is diagnosed solely based on the occurring symptoms and their connections to alcohol. Your doctor may also order an alcohol allergy test to rule out that an allergy is causing the symptoms. If alcohol allergy has been ruled out and the symptoms are connected to alcohol use, alcohol intolerance is often diagnosed without further testing. Alcohol intolerance can be extremely frustrating to people who like to drink alcohol but can also affect those who do not.
What are the symptoms of alcohol allergy?
However, in some people, ALDH2 does not work correctly, resulting in alcohol intolerance. Alcohol intolerance is a real condition, but it can sometimes be confused with other related conditions, such as allergies or drug interactions with alcohol. Having an alcohol intolerance is a genetic condition that means your body cannot process alcohol correctly.
- If you or someone else experiences serious signs or complications of alcohol intolerance or another reaction to alcohol, seek medical help.
- Research has shown that some people with mild symptoms of intolerance can get used to the symptoms of excess acetaldehyde in their bodies.
- They don’t have one of the active enzymes needed to process alcohol — alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) or aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).
- Get your full health report by ordering your CircleDNA test today.
- Your skin’s reaction can help them learn if you have an allergy.
- In fact, there can be many reasons why people are intolerant to alcoholic drinks, and most don’t have anything to do with the ethanol itself.
