Asian Flush / Asian Blush / Asian Glow Community
Discussion and anecdotes about the Asian Flush/Flush/Glow/Red Face (turning red when drinking alcohol), including using H2 blockers (e.g. Tagamet, Pepsid, Zantac) and other products to combat its effects. Hosted by Eric Cheng on http://echeng.com
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Asian Flush / Asian Blush / Asian Glow Community → Posts by echeng
Premieredv - new topic has been added. Thanks for the link.
The AZNOBlush System claims to "helps slow down the conversion of Ethanol into Acetaldehyde as well as speed up the break down of Acetaldehyde into Acedic Acid [sic]."
The "system" involves suggested steps to take before drinking alcohol, an ingested supplement to take with alcohol, and even more suggestions for what to do after the first sip.
Note that doctors in this forum have stated that your body very quickly catabolizes NAC (n-acetyl-cysteine), the ingested supplement of an enzyme that helps to neutralize acetaldehyde. Obscene amounts of vitamin C are required in order to slow down down the breakdown process, which makes taking the supplement inconvenient and not-so-effective.
Having said that, please let us know about your experiences with the AZNOBlush system. And while you're at it, write to them to let them know how "acetic" is spelled.
Focused discussion about Cheerz Anti-Hangover
Cheerz claims that it...
- Combats hangovers before they start by boosting the body's natural ability to process alcohol's most toxic element.
- Helps maintain health against potential long-term health problems caused by alcohol toxicity by supporting healthy liver and cellular function.
- Can be safely taken as needed without side effects.
- Head off hangovers before they start without 'Band-Aid' drugs like Aspirin or Tylenol that can do more harm than good.
- Promotes responsible drinking by helping reduce the damage caused by acetaldehyde, shown in numerous studies to contribute to cravings that may lead to abuse and/or dependency.
- Essential for women and Asians, who have biologically lower tolerance to alcohol*.
Good idea. I'll add a new topic.
Links to asian blush discussions in the media. Please use the other forums to discuss Pepcid, etc.
Here are some to get started:
"Asian Flush: Asians and Alcohol" on New America Media
"Face turns red after drinking" on Go Ask Alice!
Wikipedia entry on Alcohol flush reaction
"Treatment for the "Asian Flush&quo … h alcohol?" on Google Answers
"Asian Flush: The Silent Killer" on GroupThink
Good idea, Uriel.
Might be hard to implement, though. People tend to post wherever they want to. Maybe we just need a summary thread for H2-blocker information.
Let's get back on the Pepcid AC discussion. I've created a new forum topic for the dairy topic:
http://echeng.com/asianblush/viewforum.php?id=1
Dorito breath writes:
Hi All, after reading all 17 pages, I'm surprised no one has posted the food/dairy connection.
This is a natural solution that I discovered after trying different combos. It's worked for the last 10 years.
First, I'm 100% Asian. Second, I get the same side effects.
To beat Asian flush, do NOT eat anything dairy when drinking. Even the slightest ounce of anything dairy will make you redder than a baboon's arse.
Second, this is the worst but has always been 100% effective for me:
Don't eat anything 4 to 5 hours before you eat. 4 hours is pushing it, but 5 is ideal. I know that sucks, but the best thing to do is eat a huge breakfast and lunch if you know you'll be drinking later. For insurance, avoid dairy for the day, although for the most part you'll be fine. Just brush your teeth soon after to make sure there is no dairy in your mouth. Even that slight bit will cause redness. There are other things that may bring redness when consuming, such as certain candies that I've noticed, but I've generally been ok. If you ARE going to eat while drinking, stick to meats. For the most part, I've been ok with chicken or beef, but be careful that they don't have any dairy flavorings, sauce, marinade, etc.Try it and you'll see. What sucks is that once you start eating after you drink, the redness will come back. At that point, you'll be done for the night, right? Probably not, but be sure to eat later so your hangover is not as bad.
Summary for a foolproof plan: Eat heavy in the AM hours. Eat nothing (not even candy or brushing teeth) 5 hrs before drinking. Don't eat while drinking. After first few sips of alcohol or a beer (avoid mixed drinks), take eyedrops. Clear Eyes works way better than Visine. Always carry eyedrops when drinking. Eat before going to bed to lessen hangover. Works like a charm.
Steph writes:
Hi, the avoiding dairy really works?? So does just avoiding dairy while drinking work? Or do you have to have several hrs of no diary first? Often I have a wine in the afternoon - inbetween meals and I still get the pink heat :(
I had noticed that if I have a big meal after taking pepcid, the effect of the pills is less and I go red.
And why do you take eyedrops? Is this just to avoid the glassy-eye look?
And not eating at all for 4-5 hrs prior to drinking is not really that practical. Especially if you're out for dinner and just want a couple of drinks with your food...
However this is an interesting natural solution! anyone else tried this??
Doritobreath writes:
If you have to eat, avoid anything with dairy. The natural solution is really more for going out, not worrying about dinner. But, if you are going to eat, avoid the dairy (all day if possible). If I am going to eath while drinking, I typically will eat Asian food such as Vietnamese, which hardly has any dairy. I've noticed the effects are much less with that type of food, sometimes non-existent - especially if you eat light. The caveat is if you eat anything and feel full (regardless of if it's dairy-free), chances are you'll get the flush. So really, if you have to eat, eat light.
Eyedrops are because my eyes always get red once I start drinking, but a few drops takes care of the whole night. I noticed red eyes with lots of Asians and non-Asians. My point is that if you have Asian flush or not, the red eye look will still make you look bad.
Oh yeah, more tips on what to eat: If you're eating Mexican, order fajitas and just eat the meat...salsa is ok too, but forget any chips that are buttery. For Italian, you're typically out of luck, due to all the dairy they use, so look for antipasta...calamari...marina sauce, steamed veggies, etc. Avoid pizza like the plague. American: ribs, chili, barbeque type foods.
PS. I'm trying the Pepcid AC Max..one pill, 20 grams. I had lots of cheese earlier, so I'm curious as to the results. I waited about 45 minutes before I started my first beer. I'll post results later.
I'll be eating some dairy, but a light amount, just to test.
i jst wanna get dis red stuff gne n stop da vomiting n bad headches!!.. i drink 2 have fun n socialize not 2 get down n dirrty wid peopl! because i smoke alot of DAK n dat aint good at all.... so i wud like 2 drink insted.. betta for me i guess.. well betta dan weed anyways!!!
werd.
Alrighty then. We'll keep this topic open. Sorry about the required registration thing, but I hate spam almost as much as I do turning red when I drink. :)
Hey, guys. I had to restrict replies to registered users only due to some spamming of the forums.
Do I need to close this topic and start a new one? We're up to 375 messages here. :)
Hey, guys. For those of you looking for the answer to why you can't take an enzyme supplement, read this thread:
http://echeng.com/asianblush/viewtopic.php?id=9
AND, I think you should all post photos of yourselves out on the town WITH and WITHOUT pepcid.
Johnson & Johnson-Merck should pay me royalties for sending so many people their way. ;)
Moved to focused discussion thread:
http://echeng.com/asianblush/viewtopic.php?pid=108
Accoring to this study, Niacin/Vitamin B is supposed to help:
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/75/4/616
Thanks to Glenjamin for the link.
Perhaps a doctor can decypher the information in the study.
Here's another link, with more information:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=258303
Please post suggestion for new topics for discussion here. If you just want to chat, post in the Free for All forum.
posted by (daisy - email) on Thu, November 18, 2004 @ 09:19:01
I'm taking Medical Genetics at my school and wrote a paper on the "asian flush." I'll try and be concise. Ok so here is how alcohol is metabolized by your body: after you drink alcohol, 80% is absorbed into the stomach and rest in your small intestine. Ethanol is metabolized in the liver: ethanol --via alcohol dehydrogenase--> acetaldehyde --aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH for short)--> acetate --> acetyl COA ïƒ CO2 + H2O. The rest, about 2-5%, is excreted unchanged in breath, urine, and perspiration. We have 2 types of aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes: cystolic ALDH called ALDH1 and mitochondrial ALDH called ALDH2. There are 2 alleles for ALDH2 enzyme: ALDH2*1 which is normal and ALDH2*2 which is a mutant. They differ by a single amino acid (so it’s a single point genetic mutation). The mutant ALDH2*2 codes for an inactive or less active ALDH2 and therefore cannot metabolize acetaldehyde as well as someone who has ALDH2*1. About 30-50% Asians have ALDH2*2 whereas 0% of Europeans and Africans do not. Since persons who are genetically deficient in ALDH2 cannot breakdown acetaldehyde to acetate, the pathway stops because it cannot continue and there is an accumulation of acetaldehyde. This build up of acetaldehyde causes a flush reaction (disulfram-ethanol reaction). Accumulation of acetaldehyde levels may also inhibit conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine via dopamine beta hydroxylase. This leads to hypotension and the body responds by increasing heart rate, thus the rapid heart rate experienced by persons with ALDH2*2. The symptoms of the ‘Asian flush’ are flushed-face, rapid heart rate, and nausea. If you are homozygous (rare) ALDH2*2/2*2, then your symptoms are very servere; ALDH2*2/2*1 moderate; ALDH2*1/2*1 no symptoms. Acetaldehyde is carcinogenic and neurotoxic. Those who have ALDH2*2, there is a higher concentration of acetaldehyde in salvia and that increase the risk for oral and esophageal cancer. Hope that helps! =)
So you either need an enzyme or something to help break down acetaldehyde to acetate (or to flush out acetaldehyde from blood) or a H1, H2 antagonists. ...
posted by (Dan Chen - email - url) on Wed, November 24, 2004 @ 10:29:48
There appears to be a lot of dis-information on this log- perhaps a FAQ is in order?
The flushing syndrome seen in asians after alcohol consumption has nothing to do with allergic reactions. The aldehyde being a carcinogen issue, is mostly theoretical- a study trying to link the two actual found an inverse correlation.
The bottom line summary- Many asians have *fast* enzymatic activity for the first breakdown step of alcohol- up to 100x faster than most caucasians. This produces aldehyde. Some asians have *fast* breakdown of aldehyde as well (up to 40% of asians). You know these asians as people that not only don't flush, but they can drink like fish. Most Asians still have active breakdown of aldehyde, but because they breakdown alcohol so fast, they can't keep up. This is called shunting of alcohol to aldehyde. Aldehyde causes flushing and that "thick headed" feeling.
As far as I can tell, it is unclear yet, why H2 blockers can prevent this. There are many possibilities, but I think the most likely is thatthey just slow the absorption of alcohol in the stomach. As long as you are one of the ~40% of asians that flush, but still have adequete breakdown of aldehyde, that slowing of absorption will slow the shunting and allow breakdown of the aldehyde as it is made.
(ps- I do not study these pathways in the lab, but I am a Stanford MD and a molecular biologist)
Further thoughts are welcome.
Dan
From Kenny Liu, MD:
Common symptoms -- aside from turning beet-red -- are: becoming tachycardic (racing heart), tachypneic (fast respiratory rate), and pruritic (itchy).
-- From http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/~strone01/doctor.html :
Yes, it is true. The metabolism of ethanol (alcohol) is one of the simpler biochemical pathways in the human body. As seen in the figure, once ethanol has entered the bloodstream, it travels to the liver where hepatocytes (liver cells) transform it into a compound called acetaldehyde using the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. Acetaldehyde is than transformed into acetic acid with the aid of another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogrenase. Both of these reactions form the electron carrier NADH which can then enter the electron transport chain to form ATP, the body’s primary source of energy.
Some people of Asian descent (perhaps as much as ½) carry a “defective” copy of the gene for aldehyde dehydrogenase which works slower than normal, causing a bottleneck effect during the metabolism of ethanol. The net result is a build-up of acetaldehyde, which can lead to flushing, nausea, malaise, and headache, a reaction sometimes referred to as “Asian flush”. However, this does not contribute significantly to decreased alcohol tolerance, as ethanol is broken down at nearly the same rate.
Some scientists have speculated that the relatively low incidence of alcoholism among those of Asian descent may be a result of this mechanism. In effect, they feel too sick to continue drinking before they actually become drunk.
Pharmaceutical companies have actually capitalized on this effect in the development of a drug called disulfiram, better known as Antabuse. This drug inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase, resulting in the same symptoms as above. It is meant as an aid in the treatment of chronic alcoholics. If regularly taking disulfiram, they can rapidly feel very ill following the consumption of alcohol which, in theory, helps prevent them from resuming their habit.
The (almost) Doctor
"NAC (n-acetyl-cysteine) has been shown to neutralize acetaldehyde, but it is catabolized in the body too quickly to be of much use vis a vis the allergic reaction. " Vitamin C is recommended when taking NAC to offset oxidation of the amino acids in the body. Discuss in this thread...
-----
Prior discussion:
posted by (guest1 ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 19:52:27
n-acetyl-cysteine neutralizes acetaldehyde, instead of just combating the allergic effects.
posted by (guest1 ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 19:54:33
followup to the last comment- they have pills of just n-acetyl-cysteine. i would suggest not taking pepcid, not only because it gets you extra wasted, but also because it does nothing about the acetaldehyde, which is an industrial solvent, and should never be in your bloodstream.
posted by (echeng ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 20:03:37
Interesting. I looked here:
http://www.health-marketplace.com/N-Acetyl-Cysteine.htm
... which gives the warning, " When taking L-cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine, or glutathione, it is recommended that three times as much vitamin C should be taken at the same time to prevent these amino acids from being oxidized in the body."
Now, who is the guinea pig who wants to try taking 600mg n-acetyl-cysteine and a bunch of vitamin C before having alcohol? Come back and report results! :)
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 13:46:07
http://home.goulburn.net.au/~shack/antiox.htm
has some info. tried it the other day, seemed to have a minimal effect, but will continue to try different doses. when NAC is used to treat acetaminophen(tylenol) poisoning, they use massive doses. there is no real danger of overdosing on nac.
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 13:54:39
one other thing- the website above says that only 10% of the NAC you ingest remains in the bloodstream for an extended period of time. the rest is metabolized into glutathione, another antioxidant, but not overly effective against ACH. the good thing is, NAC combats ACH directly, as opposed to assisting the main metabolizing enzyme, which in our case is crippled from one displaced DNA pair. so cheng, im thinking 600mg is too small. first, one might want to take a pre-dose, to push glutatione levels to normal(NAC does not cause cells to over-produce), then a main dosage, to skyrocket the blood-NAC level. Its a pain in the ass, but it might work. being a biochem major in college, ill be working on something better alright guys-
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 15:56:01
i would skip the pepcid. chasers are basically vitamin supplements so no big deal. famotidine (pepcid AC) is an antihistamine, and is probably dangerous to mix with alcohol. i would take some nac earlier in the day, without vitamin C, then about ten NAC pills (6000mg), with three times as much vitamin C (uh...18000mg). that would be to start. i haven't tried it yet, but will soon. as of now this is megavitamin therapy. although the big numbers are somewhat scary, Vitamin C and NAC are not harmful in large amounts. Massive amounts of anything is bad. I would avoid having NAC pills for dinner. one more thing- NAC contains sulfur, which makes the pills themselves smell like shit, and makes your farts galaxy-class. if you plan on getting wasted, dont fart in front of girls. tell me if any of you try this, and i will too.
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 16:37:35
sorry, 6000mg and 18000 of Vitamin C may be a little exciting. i will try 3600 and 10000. there are people who take in excess of 10000mg of vitamin C a day as a health supplement, but i wouldnt recommend it.
posted by (red face guy ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 19:05:50
guest1....are you sure your body just won't reject the excess NAC and Vitamin C? I think you'll just poop or pee the NAC or Vitamin C that your body can't use. 6 pills of NAC and about 18 vitamin C pills is ALOT to take at one time.
posted by (guest ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 22:16:08
yeah, i tried six with the vitamin C but it didn't really seem to work. i'm still convinced that NAC would be the way to go, but its converted too quickly. any non-freshman biochemists out there- how do you maximize blood NAC levels?
posted by (don ho the singer ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 23:36:48
^ Did you take all 6 pills at one time or did you spread out the dosage? How much time was between dropping and drinking?
posted by (guest1 ) on Fri, October 08, 2004 @ 19:39:32
about an hour
posted by (guest1 ) on Sat, October 09, 2004 @ 16:43:53
So heres the bottom line- NAC has been shown to neutralize acetaldehyde, but it is catabolized in the body too quickly to be of much use vis a vis the allergic reaction. There are several compounds being patented and researched right now(search on google for N-terminal Dipeptides of D- Penicillamine), but it may be a few years before it hits the market. Unless of course, you want to go to a lab and make your own, lets see, D-penicillamyl-beta-alanine, in which case youre all set. So until then, pepcid and NAC, and a lot of caution.
posted by (guest2 ) on Wed, October 27, 2004 @ 14:57:00
Some info http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-004.shtml
The RU-21 Website says:
WHAT IS RU-21?
RU-21 supports the body’s natural ability to metabolize alcoholic beverages. When taken with alcohol, the natural ingredients in RU-21 support alcohol metabolism by slowing down the process of ethanol oxidation into toxic byproducts which occur with alcohol consumption. RU-21 aids the body’s digestive system by supporting the decomposition of alcohol’s digestive byproducts into acetic acid, water and carbon dioxide.
Most people seem to say that it doesn't prevent us from turning red when we drink. Discuss here!
More info: Search google for antihistamines
Some of my doctor friends use antihistamines like Claritin to reduce redness when they drink alcohol. Discuss. :)
Call for experiences with alcohol and antacids (acid neutralizers) like Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, and Mylanta.
Acid Neutralizers (text from Healthcare South)
Antacids have been around forever with roots that extend back to the chewing of herbs, plants, and roots. An archaic term, dyspepsia, provides a clue to the original use for mints. Over time, as our understanding of gastric pain has changed, we have begun to use more direct acid neutralizers.
Bicarbonate of soda, appearing as bubbly liquids, was popular decades ago, as it was felt that a simple acid-base reaction would be the solution for the painful symptoms. Additionally, people were told to drink plenty of milk and eat a bland diet. This was boring, mildly unpleasant, and usually worthless. More recently, bicarbonate salts have become popular for a variety of reasons. Aluminum bicarbonate and Magnesium bicarbonate mixtures, like Maalox and Mylanta, are relatively easy to use. These chemicals are combined because the former is constipating and the latter is cathartic (produces diarrhea).
Calcium bicarbonate, Tums and Rolaids, is even more popular now because of the beneficial properties of Calcium on the bone. However, one major drawback for this category of medicines is that they have to be used when there is actually acid present in the stomach - after recently ingested food has passed on. Therefore, one must take these products four times a day, one hour after meals and at bedtime.
Topical coatings that form a protective film have also been tried. Initially, it was felt that milk had such an effect but this turns out not to be the case. Carafate (sucralfate) is a tablet that dissolves and forms such a barrier. A significant problem is that it can block the absorption of any other medications that one might be taking.
Please post about your experiences with H2 blockers and alcohol. Most people seem to take Pepcid AC 30-60 minutes before having any alcohol. It normally decreases redness, but is a catalyst to intoxication (you get drunk faster).
H2 Blockers: Medications in this family are acid production inhibitors -- they decrease stomach acid production. Drugs that fall into this family include cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB); famotidine (Pepcid, Pepcid AC, Pepcid RPD); nizatidine (Axid, Axid AR); ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac, Zantac EFFERdose, Zantac GELdose, Zantac 75).
Acid Production Inhibitors (text from Healthcare South)
As our understanding of the cellular mechanisms of the gastrointestinal tract improves, so do our weapons. Research has been able to identify actual molecular pumps that cause the secretion of acid from the cells lining the stomach. Obviously, attacking these would be the most logical step. Over the last two decades we have had a class of drugs known as type-2 histamine blockers (H2-blockers, H2 receptor antagonists). These drugs interact with type 2 histamine receptors and prevent acid-secreting cells from receiving a molecular signal to pump acid out in to the stomach chamber, thereby reducing the acid load by 65%. These drugs should not be confused with the more familiar antihistamines (those used for respiratory allergies), which are type-1 histamine blockers. After many years of use, H2-blockers are now available as both prescription and over-the-counter versions (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid, Axid - listed in order of introduction). Some are combined with an acid neutralizing coating as well (Pepcid Complete). While quite effective, these drugs still have an indirect effect on acid secretion.
The latest technology involves the actual block of the proton-pump mechanism in the cell walls to reduce by over 95% the secreted acid. These drugs include Prilosec and Prevacid. As their patents run out, long acting versions are appearing, notably Nexxium - which is essentially Prilosec.
The last category is also used for duodenal ulcers and esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as well as for gastritis.
UPDATE: Reader StopRanting has posted a summary of this thread. You can read it here.
I've been told that it's between 30% and 50%.
The original page that resulted in the creation of this forum can be found here. You should probably read this before you participate here, so questions and answers aren't repeated.
-------------
Asian Blush, RU-21, Pepsid, etc. (General)
Can someone in the medical profession out there educate me about RU-21? In theory, it might be able to "help" prevent the Asian Blush. Some sites say that it actually helps to metabolize acetaldehyde, but other sites say that it slows down the ethanol oxidation to acetaldehyde. One of my friends has been taking it, but he isn't sure that it is "working."
I don't drink much, but when I do, I sometimes take Pepcid AC 30-60 minutes before having any alcohol. I find that it usually prevents me from turning red, but (un)fortunately makes me tipsy rather quickly.
Jan 11, 2005 *UPDATE* -- Hey, guys. The response here has been overwhelming! I'll install forum software soon and get a link posted here, so we can all post anecdotes.
San Francisco, CA : [trackback] [link] posted @ 16:11:10
105 comments
posted by (margarito - email - url) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 16:17:15
asian blush, eh?
posted by (echeng ) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 16:29:01
yeah.. you know, the red flush that happens due to low levels of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-2. err... when you drink, that is. it's common in Asians, especially.
posted by (Lan ) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 16:38:33
or you could just use Tagamet.
posted by (echeng ) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 16:41:06
is Tagamet better than Pepsid? its website says so. :)
posted by (Chester ) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 19:06:19
A few consecutive weekends with me and you'll either have conquered the dreaded Crimson Taint naturally...or you'll be dead. Either way: money-back guarantee.
posted by (margarito - email - url) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 19:25:45
lol, the drinking.
posted by (Pooh - url) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 20:20:46
H2 blockers like Zantac, Pepcid, Tagament will prevent turning red from the lack of the enzyme
posted by (name ) on Wed, December 03, 2003 @ 20:49:25
just be forewarned: "gastric ulcer medications that reduce acid production (Tagamet, Zantac, etc.), as well as aspirin, also interfere with the stomach’s ability to destroy alcohol, so even moderate drinking becomes more intoxicating than usual." if you want to play it safe, i'd just take tums for your asian glow. something about the acid neutralizer ingredients of tums that slows down the reddening effects. *shrug* works for me. you might want to give it a try.
posted by (pinkhatei - url) on Thu, December 04, 2003 @ 09:51:27
but the blush is so cute!
posted by (kenny - url) on Thu, December 04, 2003 @ 10:54:58
my theory is that the "blush" is an allergic reaction: erythema, pruritis. it is a reaction to either ethanol itself or more likely, one of its metabolites. the allergic reaction is just part of a constellation of symptoms that some cardiologists categorize as "holiday heart," from the tachycardia that drinking induces in certain patient populations. i would recommend taking a systemic anti-histamine (ie high dose claritin, allegra) to combat the flushing and itching.
posted by (echeng ) on Thu, December 04, 2003 @ 11:02:05
hey, kenny. the last time I took an anti-histamine and had alcohol, I felt like I was going to fall asleep and never wake up. :)
posted by (kenny - url) on Thu, December 04, 2003 @ 11:02:58
just wanted to add that i don't think there will be a "cure" for ethanol-related effects for a long time. it's such a systemic toxin and i don't think anyone really knows how it works. i would especially be wary of information found on internet sites (especially mine). isn't it interesting that RU-21 sounds like "are you 21?" don't know if they did that on purpose but it sounds fishy to me.
posted by (Pooh - url) on Sat, December 06, 2003 @ 15:35:54
To No Name: whoah.. did someone just say take TUMS for asian glow? And you say something about acid neutralizing effects combating the effects -- if you're trying to reduce acid in the stomach to combat EtOH, then shouldn't ranitidine do the same since you're reducing and neutralizing acid? And last time I checked, alcohol wasn't metabolized in the stomach. Thank you drive through
Anyhow..
I haven't tried taking the nonsedating H1 blockers (like allegra and claritin) to combat asian glow, but those meds usually don't have an effect on me for my allergies. I'm guessing the H2 blockers (like ranitidine) have enough of a cross reactivity with H1 blockers to block the allergic reaction without causing the sleepiness.
posted by (john ) on Sat, December 20, 2003 @ 23:20:09
"H2 blockers decrease the production of stomach acids and work for several hours. They are sold under the trade names Axid, Tagamet, Pepcide, and Zantac. Although all are effective, there are subtle differences among the drugs. In addition, they can cause adverse reactions when taken with certain medicines. So, before you buy, get advice from your doctor or pharmacist. By the way, H2 blockers increase alcohol absorption and therefore intoxication"
posted by (spruce - email) on Sat, January 03, 2004 @ 07:55:06
Asian glow is a lot more serious than a cosmetic or allergic reaction. Acetaldehyde is a potent carcinogen, and there is plenty of clinical data supporting a strong link in Asian who "drink through" this reaction and cancers of the esophagus and upper respiratory tract.
I have never tried H2 blockers for this. Can anyone explain how they operate on the problem? Do the actually reduce acetaldehyde levels the way RU-21 claims to?
posted by (name ) on Sat, January 10, 2004 @ 14:50:10
has anyone tried RU-21? i have the asian glow n it sucks! thought about trying anithistamines but seems sketchy with lots of boos. the box warnings say stay away from alcohol while taking the antihistimines. i heard acetaldehyde is what causes the redness and RU-21 is supossed to reduce it or at least slow it down. if you know anything please contact me! Silverdude25@yahoo.com
posted by (will ) on Sun, February 08, 2004 @ 23:23:00
ive tried famitodine (generic pepcid ac) and it is pretty effective. i still get pink but not the cherry-red that i used to. i'm still looking for a solution that will remove my redness. i think i will experiment with other H2 antihistimines but i hear the others interact with alcohol and potentiate it, unlike famitodine. i may also try aspirin. not sure what the multiplier effect will be though. interested in experiences with RU-21.
posted by (tom ) on Fri, February 20, 2004 @ 11:35:00
i've tried antihistimines like claritin and zyrtek to prevent the the asian "tomato face", but they don't seem to help.
what is RU-21? is an over-the-counter medication, or is it prescription? do you take that medication 30 mins before drinking? are there any side effects?
i'd really like to find a solution to the "tomato face" problem. i enjoy drinking alcohol in moderation when i'm in social situations, and with my problem, it makes it awkward.
thanks for the advice!
posted by (KP ) on Fri, February 27, 2004 @ 01:09:42
I tried the RU-21 today. Took two tablets before drinking and 2 more while I was drinking. After a couple of glasses of Hpnotiq I was maybe even redder than usual (which hardly seems possible). RU-21 did not work for me.
posted by (hk ) on Fri, March 05, 2004 @ 22:00:44
So after reading this after a google search, I decided to try pepcid, and it ABSOLUTELY worked for me!! I'm shockingly glow free for the first time since I've started drinking. It's freaking amazing...thanks to you all who recommended it!!! Although I have to admit the alk has hit me a bit harder than it usually does....but whatev, cheaper date.
posted by (KP ) on Mon, March 15, 2004 @ 16:54:51
Are you supposed to take the pepcid before you drink or with the alcohol?
posted by (will ) on Tue, April 06, 2004 @ 17:15:07
tried using tums last night. didn't work..may have worked just slightly at reducing redness. pepcid works the best, but i still get solid pink and it still bothers me..i've tried eating no carb meals before drinking, doesn't work. i've tried claritin, benedryl, aspirin...yes i find asian red face very embarassing :) gonna try higher dose pepcid ac but i feel like it potentiates the alcohol or something.. take the pepcid (or generic famotidine) about 30-60 minutes before you drink cuz it takes time to get into your system. 20mg is effective, haven't tried 10mg.
posted by (TJaden ) on Thu, May 20, 2004 @ 19:05:23
I'm not sure if you guys are this way inclined, but I find that taking dexamphetamines (used for treating adhd patients) and amphetamines (speed) increases my tolerance for alcohol and reduces my 'asian blush' from tomato red to slight pink. This remedy should obviously not be practiced on a regular basis, but useful nonetheless and interesting from a scientific point of view
posted by (will - email) on Sun, July 04, 2004 @ 10:28:54
after numerous trials, i've found that pepcid ac (or generic famotidine) is excellent for the asian blush. the only down side is you have to take it in advance for it to be most effective. so, before you drink, take 20 or 30 mg of famotidine 1-3 hours before you drink. then, drink all you want...it takes 12 hours or so for famotidine to wear off. happy drinking.
posted by (Acne - email) on Mon, July 05, 2004 @ 19:20:14
If you have acne, redness from alcohol inflammates the redness.
posted by (fructose ) on Wed, July 07, 2004 @ 22:57:39
try having some fructose before you drink. i read online somewhere that fructose accelerates the breakdown of ethanol and might help in the fight against asian flush. im the type of person who turns red, i mean RED after one lousy beer. because of it, i feel that it has taken a toll on my social life. it is truly an embarrassing situation and has shaped me into a very self conscious drinker when and if i do drink at all. i\'ve experimented with alot of different suggestions to combat AF and none have really been successful. well, this past weekend i had some honey (it\'s high in fructose; also found in many sweet fruits such as figs) before i had a beer.. and surprisingly i didnt endure the usual bout of crimson transformation. not one shade of pink! happy with the discovery, i didnt want to ruin the ominous progress by having another beer. next time i;ll try having two maybe three to see how well it holds up... let me know if any of you have tried this method and if any other solutions are out there.
posted by (will - email) on Wed, July 14, 2004 @ 08:22:38
fructose: you had no success with famotidine?
posted by (curious ) on Fri, July 16, 2004 @ 23:18:27
will: how many drinks does it take for you to show traits of asian blush? and how red do you get when drinking without any famotidine?
perhaps you're the type who show only slight flushing with alcohol and that's why it works so well for you? i tried pepcid ac once and didnt really work. maybe i need to have more than one tablet?
posted by (will - email) on Sun, July 18, 2004 @ 16:03:08
curious: takes me 2 drinks to get flushed. 3 to get beet red. try taking famotidine 2-3 hours before you drink, and take 40mg, then see what happens. 100mg is the maximum recommended daily dose, so 40mg is still safe. if you have more questions feel free to email. or you can post here. good luck.
posted by (AsianTomato ) on Tue, July 27, 2004 @ 14:02:32
Fructose: How much honey did you take, and how long before drinking?
posted by (someone ) on Mon, August 02, 2004 @ 00:54:16
Has anyone tried rebound hangover pills? Sounds extremely similar to ru-21 but rebound claims its product does a better job of reducing the aceteldehyde.
posted by (okay ) on Mon, August 02, 2004 @ 21:20:22
i keep putting up posts but it keeps disappearing..
posted by (okay ) on Mon, August 02, 2004 @ 21:21:28
oh yea ive tried ru-21 and didnt work for sh*t. i dont think rebound could fair any better.
posted by (Ryan ) on Tue, August 03, 2004 @ 00:12:31
I'm not asian (I'm white) but I think I get the asian blush...my face turns red after some drinks (this is somewhat new, about 8 months ago it started) and it's not ALL over - it's usually on my cheeks and forehead but mostly the cheeks. It's kind of a patchy cherry red...very embarassing and I dislike drinking because of it. I'm going to Vegas tomorrow, hopefully Pepcid works...is this the same thing you all get?
posted by (loser ) on Thu, August 19, 2004 @ 21:11:56
Tried Rebound pills. Didn't seem to work for the flush. Has anyone tried anything else that may work?
posted by (bok ) on Sun, September 05, 2004 @ 09:46:38
Pepcid AC Max Strength is excellent. Last year, ONE(!) hard lemonade (5%) was enough to get me all flushed and feeling like I was radiating heat from my face. I thought P-AC was not going to work, but I took two max strength (20 mgs each) an hour before I started drinking, and I was fine for the whole night. I still reddened a slight bit, but I drank a lot, and it was no more than anyone else. Also, I didn't feel really hot, and my heart wasn't racing like that one time with the one hard lemonade. It's great.
posted by (navi - email) on Sun, September 05, 2004 @ 15:51:45
Pepcid AC really seems to work.. so I wonder if the Max Strength version works even better. The problem is, that I'min the UK, and it costs a fortune to buy (£5 for a pack of 12 :o !)
posted by (guest ) on Sun, September 19, 2004 @ 05:08:52
Hey, like u guys i have the crappy 'asian flush' thing and it really suxz. You think with all the medicial advancements they'd find a cure for it. I was just wondering if any of u guys know of any remedies or things to help me from going beetroot red! U dont know how much its ruining my social life! Ive heard the mention of pepcid, what is it how does it work and where can i get it.
Thanks
posted by (duh ) on Mon, September 20, 2004 @ 23:25:10
Pepcid AC is a rare flowering plant found on the banks of the Congo river in southern Africa. It blocks the "asian flush" reaction when ingested in conjunction with crystal pepsi. The combination of the concentrated pepcid ac angiosperm and the particular levels of carbon dioxide and corn syrup in the crystal pepsi form a delicate symbiotic relationship with the liver, and results in the turbocharged production of the uramoron enzyme (the uramoron enzyme breaks down the alcohol and is what is lacking in 50 percent of the asian population), a phenomemon known as "nowconsumealcoholatwillwithoutfearoftomoatofacestigmatamitosis."
But be warned...an international crime syndicate has recently succeeded in backing a coup d'etat in Congo, with the result that all naturally occuring groves of Pepcid AC in the wild are now unavailable for import due to U.S. trade sanctions on this renegade African nation. Therefore, at the time of this writing, all refined pepcid ac supplies in the United States are selling at hugely inflated prices, limiting flush-free alcohol intake to only the most affluent asians.
posted by (guest ) on Tue, September 21, 2004 @ 05:41:28
Hey Duh,
Ur kidding me right? I've jus done a google search and thought Pepcid AC is jus a pill used to reduce stomach acid? Am i being blonde?
posted by (echeng ) on Wed, September 22, 2004 @ 14:42:56
you guys are awesome.
by the way, i had a pepcid last night and had a beer and two hard drinks, the latter of which was called a "zombie" in a bar in Berlin, and i was really drunk and didn't turn red at all. but man, i was intoxicated. that drunkness -- without the crazy beet-redness factor -- is still strange to me. :)
posted by (guest ) on Thu, September 23, 2004 @ 12:13:04
So Mr Cheng, r u gonna tell me where i can get my hands on Pepcid (I live in england), cuz i refuse to believe that i'll need to go to the congo to find that magic flowering plant as mentioned by the DUH dude ;)
posted by (echeng ) on Wed, September 29, 2004 @ 13:41:57
Pepcid in the UK? A search of famotidine and uk yields some good starting points:
http://a9.com/?q=famotidine+uk
Search engines good.
posted by (guest ) on Thu, September 30, 2004 @ 21:25:26
anyone know where I can find some Pepcid AC in china, or the chinese name for it? Thanks!
posted by (don ho the singer ) on Sun, October 03, 2004 @ 16:13:35
Thanks for all with the pepcid experiences, but does anyone know of any adverse side-affects of taking pepcid and then combining it with alcohol?
posted by ( ) on Sun, October 03, 2004 @ 21:21:23
Yeah, the other day I took 20 mg of pepcid ac before I had a couple of beers and it killed me. Totally ruined my week.
posted by (guest ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 17:22:03
Is "RU-21" the same as "Chaser" pills?
posted by (guest1 ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 19:52:27
n-acetyl-cysteine neutralizes acetaldehyde, instead of just combating the allergic effects.
posted by (guest1 ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 19:54:33
followup to the last comment- they have pills of just n-acetyl-cysteine. i would suggest not taking pepcid, not only because it gets you extra wasted, but also because it does nothing about the acetaldehyde, which is an industrial solvent, and should never be in your bloodstream.
posted by (echeng ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 20:03:37
Interesting. I looked here:
http://www.health-marketplace.com/N-Acetyl-Cysteine.htm
... which gives the warning, " When taking L-cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteine, or glutathione, it is recommended that three times as much vitamin C should be taken at the same time to prevent these amino acids from being oxidized in the body."
Now, who is the guinea pig who wants to try taking 600mg n-acetyl-cysteine and a bunch of vitamin C before having alcohol? Come back and report results! :)
posted by (don ho the singer ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 23:38:53
Can someone elaborate further on NAC and those who suffer from "Asian blush" while drinking alcohol? How is NAC taken and how does it assist with the alcohol break-down in the body?
I am looking to get this at GNC:
[horrible long url here -ed]
posted by (don ho the singer ) on Wed, October 06, 2004 @ 23:40:34
Also...are you supposed to take NAC regularly? Or only before drinking? thx
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 13:46:07
http://home.goulburn.net.au/~shack/antiox.htm
has some info. tried it the other day, seemed to have a minimal effect, but will continue to try different doses. when NAC is used to treat acetaminophen(tylenol) poisoning, they use massive doses. there is no real danger of overdosing on nac.
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 13:54:39
one other thing- the website above says that only 10% of the NAC you ingest remains in the bloodstream for an extended period of time. the rest is metabolized into glutathione, another antioxidant, but not overly effective against ACH. the good thing is, NAC combats ACH directly, as opposed to assisting the main metabolizing enzyme, which in our case is crippled from one displaced DNA pair. so cheng, im thinking 600mg is too small. first, one might want to take a pre-dose, to push glutatione levels to normal(NAC does not cause cells to over-produce), then a main dosage, to skyrocket the blood-NAC level. Its a pain in the ass, but it might work. being a biochem major in college, ill be working on something better alright guys-
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 14:05:06
oh yeah, also the vitamin C
posted by (echeng ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 14:31:08
guest1 - whoever figures this thing out will make a lot of money. :)
posted by (red face guy ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 15:02:17
guest1...so according to what you say...you should take one or two 600mg NAC tablets in the beginning of the day, take a Pepcid AC pill an hour before you drink, take a Chaser pill right afterwards, and then take one or two about half an hour before you drink?
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 15:56:01
i would skip the pepcid. chasers are basically vitamin supplements so no big deal. famotidine (pepcid AC) is an antihistamine, and is probably dangerous to mix with alcohol. i would take some nac earlier in the day, without vitamin C, then about ten NAC pills (6000mg), with three times as much vitamin C (uh...18000mg). that would be to start. i haven't tried it yet, but will soon. as of now this is megavitamin therapy. although the big numbers are somewhat scary, Vitamin C and NAC are not harmful in large amounts. Massive amounts of anything is bad. I would avoid having NAC pills for dinner. one more thing- NAC contains sulfur, which makes the pills themselves smell like shit, and makes your farts galaxy-class. if you plan on getting wasted, dont fart in front of girls. tell me if any of you try this, and i will too.
posted by (guest1 ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 16:37:35
sorry, 6000mg and 18000 of Vitamin C may be a little exciting. i will try 3600 and 10000. there are people who take in excess of 10000mg of vitamin C a day as a health supplement, but i wouldnt recommend it.
posted by (red face guy ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 19:05:50
guest1....are you sure your body just won't reject the excess NAC and Vitamin C? I think you'll just poop or pee the NAC or Vitamin C that your body can't use. 6 pills of NAC and about 18 vitamin C pills is ALOT to take at one time.
posted by (guest ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 22:16:08
yeah, i tried six with the vitamin C but it didn't really seem to work. i'm still convinced that NAC would be the way to go, but its converted too quickly. any non-freshman biochemists out there- how do you maximize blood NAC levels?
posted by (don ho the singer ) on Thu, October 07, 2004 @ 23:36:48
^ Did you take all 6 pills at one time or did you spread out the dosage? How much time was between dropping and drinking?
posted by (guest1 ) on Fri, October 08, 2004 @ 19:39:32
about an hour
posted by (guest1 ) on Sat, October 09, 2004 @ 16:43:53
So heres the bottom line- NAC has been shown to neutralize acetaldehyde, but it is catabolized in the body too quickly to be of much use vis a vis the allergic reaction. There are several compounds being patented and researched right now(search on google for N-terminal Dipeptides of D- Penicillamine), but it may be a few years before it hits the market. Unless of course, you want to go to a lab and make your own, lets see, D-penicillamyl-beta-alanine, in which case youre all set. So until then, pepcid and NAC, and a lot of caution.
posted by (guest2 ) on Wed, October 27, 2004 @ 14:57:00
Some info http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-004.shtml
posted by (ctn - email) on Sun, November 07, 2004 @ 12:56:50
this asian blush sucks. i glow with just half a beer and it's embarassing. it's also accompanied with light-headedness (is this usual). i've tried over the counter stuff, only intensified the situation. does anyone know of any other way. i have some luck with a full meal high in fat in conjunction with extremely slow drinking. this means a full glass of ice with very little beer to start out with. once my body gets a hang of it, i can drink as much as anyone including hard liquor. the red is still there but not as severe (either that or i am too buzz to tell the diff). this usually takes about an hour. unfortunately, it doesn't work all the time. the key is a full tummy and extreme low alcohol consumption to start out for the body to get over the initial shock. personally, this translates to anxiety or nervousness. is it possilbe to do this w/o pills.
posted by (stedyedy - email) on Sat, November 13, 2004 @ 07:59:43
Hi I live in australia does anyone know any way I could get pepcid ac delivered here?
posted by (fman - email) on Mon, November 15, 2004 @ 02:23:53
can anyone follow up on the "honey" method?
posted by (fellow-yellow ) on Mon, November 15, 2004 @ 19:56:00
for fellow "glow" sufferers; Do you have difficulties eating complex sugars? ie; apples, peaches, plums? Do you know if is this related to the glow?
posted by (stud ) on Tue, November 16, 2004 @ 23:59:58
has anyone tried taurine? it is supposed to help in breaking down acetaldehyde.
posted by (oakland ) on Wed, November 17, 2004 @ 09:53:24
I am also curious on the honey method. I'd rather try something natural. I have been using Pepsid and so far so good. I only feel warm, but my face is slightly pink, although I think it's caused by my anxiousnous. Let me know.
posted by (daisy - email) on Thu, November 18, 2004 @ 09:19:01
I'm taking Medical Genetics at my school and wrote a paper on the "asian flush." I'll try and be concise. Ok so here is how alcohol is metabolized by your body: after you drink alcohol, 80% is absorbed into the stomach and rest in your small intestine. Ethanol is metabolized in the liver: ethanol --via alcohol dehydrogenase--> acetaldehyde --aldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH for short)--> acetate --> acetyl COA ïƒ CO2 + H2O. The rest, about 2-5%, is excreted unchanged in breath, urine, and perspiration. We have 2 types of aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes: cystolic ALDH called ALDH1 and mitochondrial ALDH called ALDH2. There are 2 alleles for ALDH2 enzyme: ALDH2*1 which is normal and ALDH2*2 which is a mutant. They differ by a single amino acid (so it’s a single point genetic mutation). The mutant ALDH2*2 codes for an inactive or less active ALDH2 and therefore cannot metabolize acetaldehyde as well as someone who has ALDH2*1. About 30-50% Asians have ALDH2*2 whereas 0% of Europeans and Africans do not. Since persons who are genetically deficient in ALDH2 cannot breakdown acetaldehyde to acetate, the pathway stops because it cannot continue and there is an accumulation of acetaldehyde. This build up of acetaldehyde causes a flush reaction (disulfram-ethanol reaction). Accumulation of acetaldehyde levels may also inhibit conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine via dopamine beta hydroxylase. This leads to hypotension and the body responds by increasing heart rate, thus the rapid heart rate experienced by persons with ALDH2*2. The symptoms of the ‘Asian flush’ are flushed-face, rapid heart rate, and nausea. If you are homozygous (rare) ALDH2*2/2*2, then your symptoms are very servere; ALDH2*2/2*1 moderate; ALDH2*1/2*1 no symptoms. Acetaldehyde is carcinogenic and neurotoxic. Those who have ALDH2*2, there is a higher concentration of acetaldehyde in salvia and that increase the risk for oral and esophageal cancer. Hope that helps! =)
posted by (daisy - email) on Thu, November 18, 2004 @ 09:23:13
(forgot this part) So you either need an enzyme or something to help break down acetaldehyde to acetate (or to flush out acetaldehyde from blood) or a H1, H2 antagonists. ... yeah it totally sucks that I become red after like half a glass! Oh well ...
posted by (westside56 ) on Fri, November 19, 2004 @ 08:02:28
Does anyoen know if there is actually anyone out there working a cure for this problem ? the market for a solution to this problem is huge ...
posted by (oakland ) on Fri, November 19, 2004 @ 10:42:40
I do know that there must be a natural cure for this b/c I do remember times when I went out and did not get red at all and did get a good buzz. I just didn't realize what I ate...and that is frustrating now.
posted by (UCSB - email) on Sat, November 20, 2004 @ 20:19:28
I think my asian glow is getting worse here in college. I drink about 2-3 times a week now instead of probably once every 2 weeks. It used to be a patchy red only on my face. Now it\'s spread down my neck and onto my shoulder blades. My cure for the asian glow was just drink like 1 or 2 to get red before you go out. Wait about an hour to two hours till it goes away, and then start up again. This worked flawless for me until the past 2 times. I don\'t know if it\'s cause I didn\'t wait long enough, or my stomach is suffering?
posted by (fman - email) on Sun, November 21, 2004 @ 01:12:08
i tried to drink after having a little bit of honey. it worked for one shot, but failed as i drinked more. i think the honey only coats the stomach, then the alcohol goes in effect after the honey is digested
posted by (westside23 - email) on Mon, November 22, 2004 @ 05:53:54
...:::URGENT :::...
They dont sell these in Australia.. and I would really like to try some is anyone willing to buy me some and I'll find a way to get some money to them via paypal or something like that ? please anyone ?
posted by (oakland ) on Mon, November 22, 2004 @ 10:05:12
can someone just find a cure!
posted by (westside56 ) on Tue, November 23, 2004 @ 02:16:10
amen to that brother!
posted by (Dan Chen - email - url) on Wed, November 24, 2004 @ 10:29:48
There appears to be a lot of dis-information on this log- perhaps a FAQ is in order?
The flushing syndrome seen in asians after alcohol consumption has nothing to do with allergic reactions. The aldehyde being a carcinogen issue, is mostly theoretical- a study trying to link the two actual found an inverse correlation.
The bottom line summary- Many asians have *fast* enzymatic activity for the first breakdown step of alcohol- up to 100x faster than most caucasians. This produces aldehyde. Some asians have *fast* breakdown of aldehyde as well (up to 40% of asians). You know these asians as people that not only don't flush, but they can drink like fish. Most Asians still have active breakdown of aldehyde, but because they breakdown alcohol so fast, they can't keep up. This is called shunting of alcohol to aldehyde. Aldehyde causes flushing and that "thick headed" feeling.
As far as I can tell, it is unclear yet, why H2 blockers can prevent this. There are many possibilities, but I think the most likely is that
they just slow the absorption of alcohol in the stomach. As long as you are one of the ~40% of asians that flush, but still have adequete breakdown of aldehyde, that slowing of absorption will slow the shunting and allow breakdown of the aldehyde as it is made.
(ps- I do not study these pathways in the lab, but I am a Stanford MD and a molecular biologist)
Further thoughts are welcome.
Dan
posted by (guest ) on Sat, November 27, 2004 @ 03:08:10
I tried Pepcid AC and it didn't work...oh well. Also, I got totally drowsy and my stomach hurt the next day. I only had 2 beers. Anyway, I am glad that it works for some people, but it just kind of ruined my night...
posted by (westside23 - email) on Sun, November 28, 2004 @ 00:45:34
guest how many did you take and how many mgs maby you took too many? how red do you go after how many drinks and so on ? Just curious ...
posted by (Unlucky ) on Mon, November 29, 2004 @ 03:56:19
I found in my younger days that when I drank slowly at first i went a little bit red but it went away eventually. Once the redness faded i could drink all night, like everyone else. Unfortunately on occasions this technique failed and led to feeling very awkward and embarrassed (probably because went to quickly). Now I don't go out drinking because I don't want to be put back into that situation. Unfortunately Pepcid Ac is not sold in Australia so I can't try that. I think that RU-21 and Rebound are just rip-off schemes, although I haven't tried them. I have read some information about an extremely expensive drug called 4-METHYLPYRAZOLE which has been scientifically shown to reduce flushing (documented in pub med journals).
posted by (westside56 ) on Mon, November 29, 2004 @ 15:51:11
unlucky i live in aus and just got some pepcid ac yesterday bought it off a guy from the us via ebay try that. the pepcid ac reduces my flush but does not eliminate it how mang mgs do you guys usually take of pepcid ac?
posted by (guest ) on Tue, November 30, 2004 @ 00:42:43
Does anyone have any info on the real dangers of using Pepcid?
posted by (Unlucky ) on Wed, December 01, 2004 @ 01:15:56
I live in Aus too, Tasmania to be more precise. I think I will try Pepcid, just got to get my hands on some.
posted by (Ha ) on Thu, December 02, 2004 @ 16:55:57
I tried Pepcid and it worked ok. I was less red than usual, but it was still pretty noticeable. Anyway, I ABSOLUTELY felt the effects of the alcohol more. After one and a half beers, it was a REALLY scary drive home. I actually pulled over to sleep a bit. Obviously, drinking and driving is the worst possible thing you can do, but usually I am totally fine (I am about 230 pounds). Anyway, in case anyone else tries Pepcid, PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE! The alcohol hits you a lot harder…
posted by (adrian ) on Sat, December 04, 2004 @ 05:13:58
I have bought Pepcid (simply called Pepcid, not Pepcid AC as in the US) from a Soul Pattinson pharmacy in Sydney. It contains 20mg famotidine. It is an over the counter drug, so you need to ask for it, but you do not need a prescripion. Cost was $9.95 and is made by Amrad, a subsidiary of Merck Sharp & Dohme, in Australia.
I have used it twice so far, both times I have drunken substatially more than I usually would, without getting flushed. While many said it increased the effects of the alocohl, I actually found I am now able to drink more than I have been able to without taking Pepcid. I do, however, get very red eyes, but the face is fine.
I would like to know more about the potential dangers of taking Pepcid though.
posted by (Unlucky ) on Sun, December 05, 2004 @ 19:16:35
Red eyes are easy to fix. I use eye drops (Visine, Allergy with antihistamine). If your eyes are really red you may have to re-apply more often than usual.
posted by (guest ) on Thu, December 09, 2004 @ 10:06:01
I used Pepcid AC Maximum Strength yesterday for the first time. I still got a little flushed, but not nearly as bad as before, and I didn't get the dizzy feeling or the rapid heart beat. I also didn't experience the increased effect of alcohol either. Try it and maybe it will work for you. I just hope there are no health risks!!
posted by (guest ) on Fri, December 10, 2004 @ 05:19:26
Yeah, the side effects kind of worry me...
posted by (hc ) on Mon, December 13, 2004 @ 21:57:39
Tried Pepsid AC this weekend. I was shocked to find it actually worked! First time not turning beet red since I started drinking.
posted by (guest ) on Wed, December 22, 2004 @ 22:48:17
I've seen some chemical companines sell Aldehyde dehydrogenase....I wonder if you can purchase that and is it safe for consumption?? Anyone have any thoughts?
posted by (Caroline :) - url) on Tue, December 28, 2004 @ 17:22:00
hahaha. Welcome to the Asian Glow support group. now I'm all wishing I had Asian Glow too!
posted by (Caroline :) ) on Wed, December 29, 2004 @ 06:13:55
Unfortunately I don't get the flush. But I do get thrush...does anyone have any tips on curing that?
posted by (westside23 - email) on Thu, December 30, 2004 @ 08:51:21
someone should make a forum just for this i might do it ? .. Could post like the lastest updates and stuff and best ways to beat the glows and discuss ways around in rather than just post here anyone interested in something like that ?
posted by (rowland ) on Mon, January 03, 2005 @ 21:25:15
this is great :)
posted by (Skipper ) on Tue, January 04, 2005 @ 19:36:57
I'm interested in anyone's experience using Tagamet (Cimetidine) vs. Pepcid AC (Famotidine). I read a couple of articles e.g. http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic455.htm which suggest that Cimetidine is perhaps *more* effective than Famotidine, but *may* increase the intoxication levels mentioned in previous posts. Just search Google for Cimetidine and Asian Flush and you'll see references.
After reading all the posts here, I decided to purchase both Tagamet and Pepcid AC and plan on doing my own tests. I've been struggling with this for many years and have always been hoping for a "cure". I wonder if anyone else has or is willing to try the comparison of Tagamet to Pepcid AC. I'll let you know how it goes!
I think this forum is great and the more candid people are with their experiences, the better everyone will be.
posted by (Skipper ) on Tue, January 04, 2005 @ 19:41:05
To: Westside23 - Yes, I think that would be a good idea. I think others would be interested in this as well. Go for it!
posted by (hoho - email) on Wed, January 05, 2005 @ 04:18:24
The strangest thing: whenever I drink vodka gimlets: 1 part vodka, 1 1/2 parts lime juice, dash of sugar - I don't get the asian glow. Normally, 1/2 a beer will get me beet red, and I don't know what it is thats making me normal. Fructose? Citric acid?
posted by (guest ) on Wed, January 05, 2005 @ 18:30:52
it is very important to remind you guys that approximately 75% of all people that had esophagus cancer last year in Japan are ASIAN FLUSH positive!
Several studies conducted even in american universities showed that the ACETYLDEHYDE metabolised by the body and that is not broken by our asian enzymes, is the main cause for that.
All I want to warn you all is that, taking Pepcid Ac, Tagamet, or Aspirin, might leave you without the redness and the rapid heart, but actually let those carcinogen bastards floating on our blood.
And for those of you who are encouraged to drink more when taking these drugs, and even those who insist in drinking the same your fellow white/black friends do, Remember:
WE ARE JUST NOT SUPPOSED TO DRINK.
DRINK IT AND DIE OR FACE THE REALITY AS A MAN AND GO PARTY AS AN ASIAN HAS TO: WILD, BUT ALCOHOL FREE!
posted by (keke ) on Fri, January 07, 2005 @ 21:44:08
SETTLE DOWN FUNHATER!
posted by (Skipper ) on Sun, January 09, 2005 @ 18:13:16
I tried using Maximum Strength Pepcid AC (20mg). I took one pill 2 hours before drinking. It worked remarkably well. I had 1 beer, 2 gin and tonics, 1 Seagrams 7 with Coke, and 1 Bloody Mary. Toward the last drink I did start to see some redness, but that's much more than I would ordinarily have consumbed before becoming beet red.
The next day I tried using Tagamet (2 pills) and they didn't seem to work nearly as well as the Pepcid AC. I only had 2 drinks and experienced the old familiar symptoms: flushed face, rapid heartbeat, some dizziness. Although I've only tried each once, my early tests seem to indicate that Pepcid AC works better than Tagamet. Your results may vary. ;-)
posted by (jason ) on Wed, January 12, 2005 @ 05:01:44
im pretty sure i suffer from the asian flush too, but i dont really mind the redness. my real problem is the upset stomach i get. does pepcid ac get rid of that too?
Asian Flush / Asian Blush / Asian Glow Community → Posts by echeng
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