• echeng
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  • Registered: 2005-01-13
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Topic: Scientific reason for why we turn red

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  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.

http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/~strone01/aldehyde.gif

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

echeng's Website

2 Reply by Henry Weiss

  • Henry Weiss
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

My girlfriend often has similar symtoms when drinking alcohol too quickly.  Her heart races, blood pressure drops (last time was 102/51) and is nauseous and dizzy.  She is not asian, but has American Indian blood.  Do American Indians have the same problem?  Could taking Zantac prior to drinking help?

Henry Weiss

3 Reply by Rob

  • Rob
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

wow thank you!! very informative!
Are there any scientific studies on H2 blockers and asian flush?

4 Reply by Jacob

  • Jacob
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

In response to a previous post, I am mostly of European descent but also am 1/8 Filipino and 1/16 Native American. I am not certain of the origin of my Asian Blush. I have met others with Native American blood and no Asian blood who also turn red. So, I think you Native American girlfriend could definitely have the Blush.

I have a question about the aldehyde that is created. How long does it stay in your system?

Also, I just wanted to mention that I am really happy this forum exists. I just found it tonight. This is really the power of the internet.

I asked my general practitioner about this and when I said aldehyde dehydrogenase he looked like a deer in headlights.

Finally, as a competitive runner, I have noticed that if I drink after a hard workout or race I turn red much faster. Even if I am well-hydrated, I still get the Asian Blush way sooner. Could this have some relationship to some of the information about the relationship to the level of glucose being stored?

5 Reply by Joanne

  • Joanne
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Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

wow, thanks for the informative post. i'm a student at ucla, and i was looking for the molecular explanation of why people turn red when they drink.  i told my friends (who turned red) that they lacked an enzyme to break down alky, but they didn't believe me. they said that the redness is actually healthy and you have good circulation.  ha! i knew it was a myth. =)

6 Reply by ST

  • ST
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

While you are drinking, are there any changes in the way the body processes alcohol based on time or aldehyde level?   I typically turn very red when drink the first several beers.  After time passes and more alcohol beverages, my face loses it's flush.  My torso however, will remain flushed in various areas giving it a splotchy look.

Is there an easy way the average consumer can test aldehyde levels in saliva?

7 Reply by Natifus

  • Natifus
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

To bring everything toghter, in terms for all to understand.  Geneticly caucasions have 2 major isozyme(or enzymes) of ALDH in the liver. They have ALDH1 and ALDH2, about 50 percent of Mongloids( Asians) are missing the ALDH2 enzyme.  Instead we have a mutated enzyme called ALDH2*2.  ALDH1 and ALDH2 is the gateway to breaking down alcohol, unfortunite half of the asians have ALDH1 and ALDH2*2. ALDH2*2 is a different version of the gene ALDH2. In extremely rare cases ALDH2*2 is found in Caucasions and Negroids, but found widly in asians.  People with ALDH2*2 shown to have extreme alcohol-related sensitivity(flushing,headaches, so on), because of adjusting to there diet and habitat(Basically a non alcoholec life style).  there are many genotypes(a catergory of what the organism is physicaly made out of) of ALDH, its already listed by ECheng.  So this is the gene in 50% of asians, which is causing some of you a disfucntional social life.
  About flushing-I noticed some of you are taking pills, and dieting, and doing other things.  If you wondering why you flush, it is all genetics.  Out of 50% of asians some of you will overcome flushing, which will lead to higher alcohol consumption. Cancer has also been associated with people who flush, having a higher risk.  To understand flushing, you must understand the genetics.  Some of you have genotype ALDH2*1/2*2:The individuals tested reported: some never flushing, or recall flushing and no longer flushing, or still flushing.  Genotype ALDH2*1/2*1 Indivisuals tested: report no flushing. Genotype ALDH2*2/2*2:individuals tested:reports flushing. If you have an extreme case, or a more dramatic case of the "Asian Flush" you have ALDH2*2/2*2. Because of the heavier effects of flushing majority of ALDH2*2/2*2 are non alcholics.  Note:The individuals tested and claimed no flushing/no longer flushing tended to be moderate to heavy drinkers.  Note:Majority of individuals tested are positive for cancer.  Note:enzyme ADH is another enzyme used to break down toxins in the liver(found in all races). Genotype: ADH2*1/2*1 was also found in in the never flushed/no longer flushing individuals.  Having the deffective ALDH2 gene is always noticable, no flushing and other alcohol-sensitivites may not occur.  The 2*1 and 2*2: Simply means, there is a difference in the physical make up of the gene(the difference in a gene, is the difference between a blue flower and a red flower). Note:ALDH2*2 is the code for the inactive ALDH2 enzyme(nomral enzyme to break alcohol donw).
CONCLUSION
  ADH2*1/2*1 perhaps the cause of masking the flush effect, in individuals with genotype ALDH2*1/2*1 and ALDH2*1/2*2*(Genotype ALDH2*2/2*2 N/A for test). I have concluded in my test, and statistics from other respected organizations. In theory the ALDH2 mutated gene found in 50% of asians, causes flushing and high risk of cancer.  Individuals with ALDH2*1/2*2 symptoms vary pending on individual. Well most of your concerns about flushing were the physical aspects. I have suggested alternatives to pills, and forceful drinking habbits to rid the flushing, in another post.   I recommend taking my advice.  In some cases some of you will not get rid of the flushing at all, it is a genetic defect of the enzyme produced.  Majority of you are catergory ALDH2*1/2*2 meaning the flush can fade away(test needs to be done to study fading of fludh).  Statistics estimated 85% accurate, due to not knowing if individual recall flushing/never flushed is a fact.  Many factors come in to play for the reason why some flush, never flush, flushed/no longer flush.  In studies Native Americans process alcohol completley different. Native American do not have the ALDH2 gene at all(the gene that caucasians, negroids, and 50 percent of mongloids have to process alcohol).  The Native Americans might not have a cure for "Asian Flush", but might have a solution to bypass it.

8 Reply by mitzi

  • mitzi
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

Hi. Thanks for all your informative posts. I am hoping someone can give me expert advice what to do.

Two nights ago, I drank a small amount (about 30 mL) of red wine at a wedding reception. I don't normally drink, and in fact I don't like the taste of red wine (at least, those that I have tasted so far), and beer.  I chose to drink anyway because I thought of the health benefits (improved blood circulation, decreased risk of heart attack) it may bring, obviously overlooking the fact that aldehyde is carcinogenic or bad for the liver, as I have just found out. As we were leaving the party, a friend noticed that I had a red area on my back. When I got home, I was red and itching in the areas 2/3 of my back and front. The top area of my torso (from shoulders to 1/3 down) was unaffected. 24 hours later, the redness and itchiness didn't go away and had spread to my crotch and the back of my thighs. I was mostly sitting down that day so maybe the offensive chemicals settled there? Now about 36 hours later my symptoms are still present.

I have several questions:
As far as I know, I don't have any of the other symptoms associated with Asian flushing syndrome, such as headache, and my face doesn't flush as red as my other parts of the body I mentioned. I am 22 years old, chinese, living in the philippines. Is my symptom indicative of asian flushing syndrome?
I read somewhere that wine intolerance may be caused by histamine and that red wines can have especially high levels of histamine. I don't have a history of any allergic reaction. What can be concluded from this?
What is causing my symptom? I have been keeping myself busy to forget the itch but it feels uncomfortable. Is it aldehyde in the bloodstream?
Whatever it is, the "poison" is still triggering my symptoms. What do I do to eliminate aldehyde or the poison? Will taking silymarin help?

Sorry if I posted this on the wrong thread.

9 Reply by Natifus

  • Natifus
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Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

To: mitzi
Tyramine or histamine found in beer and wine, may induce flushing.   You recall having patchs of redness(dialtion of blood vessels) in the quater segment of your upper body.  Symptoms of flushing is different from symptoms of "Asian Flush". Flushing can be caused from sensitvity to the histamine's in certain alcoholic beverages.  While "Asian Flush" is simply a genetic defect.  Symptoms of "Asian Flush" is wide ranged from headaches, pounding rapid and heart rate, high toxins in blood, etc ,pending on 3-4 genotype in the ADH enzyme and ALDH enzyme. Also what we call "hyper sensitive individuals", are more likely to have bad reactions, when alcohol contacts the blood stream.  Hyper sensitive individuals with "Asian Flush", ranged from individuals with ALDH2*2/2*2 genotype and ALDH2*1/2*2 genotype.  "Asian Flush" dosen't typical occur or expose its symptoms in facial and upperbody region.  "Asian Flush" is catergorized by genotype, and not symptoms.  Test for having the defective genotype would have to be done by a medical proffessional, and not based on self symptoms.  From your information, you seem to have a basic flush symptoms, related to tyramine or histamine in beer and wine. Which is not uncommon.

10 Reply by Natifus

  • Natifus
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

To: Henry Weiss
  What she is experiencing is the "Asian Flush".  Asian Flush is a INACTIVE ALDH2 enzyme known as ALDH2*2. What she has is the same defect.  ADH and ALDH2 ezymes are needed to break down alcohol. What she has is the same symptoms of alcohol-related sensitivity, also found common in Native Americans. Acetaldehyde accumulation(alcohol toxins) is cause of all those symptoms.  Native American alcohol metabolism is the same as caucasions, and they experience a watered down version of the "Asian Flush".

11 Reply by guest3

  • guest3
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

i have read that in addition to the crappy ALDH gene, up to 80% of Asians have a fast acting ADH enzyme, which is also present in 10% of caucasians and to a lesser degree in other groups.  i have noticed that irish people turn pink too, except after like 50 beers, because they have the fast ADH but also normal ALDH.  this also suggests that the ALDH polymorphism spread not because of a lack of need for ALDH but as a protection against alcoholism.  i have never heard any historical accounts of rampant alcoholism in Asia hundreds or even thousands of years ago, but who knows.  the alcoholics themselves wouldnt have been writing anything.  But I think that the idea that ALDH2*2 spread because Asians didn't need it is false.  but who knows...

12 Reply by guest5

  • guest5
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

i have read that in addition to the crappy ALDH gene, up to 80% of Asians have a fast acting ADH enzyme, which is also present in 10% of caucasians and to a lesser degree in other groups.  i have noticed that irish people turn pink too, except after like 50 beers, because they have the fast ADH but also normal ALDH.  this also suggests that the ALDH polymorphism spread not because of a lack of need for ALDH but as a protection against alcoholism.  i have never heard any historical accounts of rampant alcoholism in Asia hundreds or even thousands of years ago, but who knows.  the alcoholics themselves wouldnt have been writing anything.  But I think that the idea that ALDH2*2 spread because Asians didn't need it is false.  but who knows...

13 Reply by Natifus

  • Natifus
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Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

ADH and ALDH are completely two different enzymes. Also Alcohol Sensitivity is shown in more than just asians! The average human shows symptoms of alcohol sensitivity, such as flush cheeks. Asian Flush is more of a hyper sensitvity towards alcohol.  I do agree with guest5 to a certain degree.  Gentic mutations are unpredictable, and can form in various time frames.  To assume that asians develped ALDH2*2 because of non alcoholic life style, is not entirely true.  The defective gene may have been caused the mongoloids to stray for alochol use, and may have been present even before mongoloids existed.

14 Reply by sean

  • sean
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

i stumbled across this board a couple of weeks ago, and i read many a poster saying that pepcid ac worked. the very next day i went to the pharmacy and bought some pepcid ac maximum strength.  i then went to the bar that very night to see if it worked.  the results were miraculous. but before i go into the details, let me explain my experience with the asian blush a little.okay, so let me give you guys a little bit of history behind my flush symptoms.  im half japanese and half chinese and ever since i started binge drinking in high school ive always gotten red, sometimes more than others. i also get all the same symptoms everybody else on this board gets:  a feeling of extreme hotness in the face and ears, accelerated heart rate, a little bit of labored breathing, a stuffy nose to the point where i cant breathe through it.    ive tried so many different ways to defeat the f-ucking blush and ive come to a couple of conclusions about it.
- if i drink right after i eat i dont get AS red
- if i drink on a empty stomach, i get it really bad
- ditto if i drink right after i workout/do something mildly strenous (this includes drinking after work)
- if i start off drinking hard liquor its really bad;  with beer, not so bad
- 9 times out of ten the redness totally goes away after maybe 1-1/2 to 2 hours of drinking.  then i can drink as much as i want and it doesnt come back

okay so anyway let me get back to my pepcid experience. about an hour before i went to the bar i took 2 20mg. tablets, and i had just eaten a meal about 45 min. before that.  i then went to the bar and figured the only way to see if pepcid really worked was to deliberately try and get myself to get as red as possible.  i ended up drinking 2 crown and cokes, 2 ketel ones on the rocks, and 3 mixed shots;  2 washington apples and one brown bear all in the space of 2 hours and 15 minuters. i made my girlfriend literally write down all the drinks i had because i knew i was getting drunk. now normally if i start off by tanking 2 crown and cokes ill get all red and splotchy within 10 minutes, full stomach or no, but not tonight.  After the first 2 crown and cokes i started to get the hotness; you guys all know what im talking about.  i was utterly convinced i was beet red but when i asked my girlfriend if i was, she said i was fine. the weirdest part about the whole night was that i constantly felt like i was getting red but everytime i went to the bathroom or asked my girfriend to check, she said that i looked normal.   anyway to make a long story short  i tried it the next night using the same formula (taking 2 20mg pills an hour before drinking ) at a sports bar watching monday night football and it worked like a charm again;  i got a little pink but it was barely noticeable but i could breathe easy, my heart didnt race and i felt pretty f-cking great. i am utterly convinced it works.

15 Reply by Leech

  • Leech
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

Both my parents are chinese and I have the terrible "Asian Flush".  I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters and only my mum, me and 1 of my brothers have it while the rest of my family can drink like fish.  After a couple of real bad experiences with alcohol (4 drinks) I decided I wasn't normal and could therefore never drink.  Anyway, being a student and I know this is bad I had dexies before my exam and then started drinking immediately after my exam to celebrate.  After half a bottle of spirits I was "what the hell" I was not red and I did not feel drunk. It was like a dream come true. I then decided it must have been because of the dexies. I had 5 more and continued to drink for hours and hours without any repercussions. I seriously was fine, wasn't red and did not vomit.  That is why I have been searching the web because I really think that something in dexies counteracts the "asian flush" but the only bad thing was that I couldn't sleep for 1 and a half days.. haha. In conclusion, there MUST be something that helps us.  But I will try the peptic thingo and see what happens...

16 Reply by Rose

  • Rose
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

I am a Non Asian alcohol induced red faced sufferer.  Two sips of alcohol and I glow like crazy along with feeling dizzy and overheated.   Much of what I've found on the net about this makes it sound like it is almost exclusively an Asian problem.  I've done my genealogy back hundreds of years and there isn't an Asian in the bunch.  I am of German, Scottish, Irish, English, and French descent.  So how do I end up with this Asian Flush thing.  An interesting asside is I have B- blood type which I understand is predominately an Asian type.  Go figure..

17 Reply by Leech

  • Leech
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

To Sean GUEST
Hopefully you will check this site out again.. I have been to several pharmacies and they have no idea what Pepcid Acid is..  I was just wondering whether you could tell me is it like something that is in a particular drug or something...?

18 Reply by Calvin

  • Calvin
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

To: Natifus Guest
is there any kind of pill or method to slow down or have less effect from alcohol
i am a 100% asian by-the-way.
i dont mind getting all red and etc. but the only thing i hate after couple shot of drinking is that...the next day, or the morning after, some of the skin on my body get red and itchy.

To: sean Guest
beside getting red & heart beat...do you also get itchy the next day?

i like to drink socially (not drink to get knock out) but this Asian Flush is killing me....
thanks....
Calvin

19 Reply by Sim

  • Sim
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

I turn cherry red approximately 5-10 minutes after having 1/2 a drink. I also get completely smashed from 1 to 1 and 1/2 drinks. As far as I know, I'm not asian (Northern Italian father; eng/irish/scotch Amer. mother); but can only go back to great grandparents on both sides, so who knows? Does anyone know if this can occur from having an asian ancestor going way back? BTW, I am also type B+ blood type.

I will try the pepsid , because the flush is very embarrassing . Everyone always knows when I have even the littlest bit of alcohol.

20 Reply by STEVE

  • STEVE
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

To Leech,
yeah dexies work. Well they dont, but they sure help you feel better. Like not making you feel like you want to fall asleep. Just gets you through the red period. You dont have to take that many. But i wouldnt rely on them, unless you have a constant supply. Also the pepcid, zantac, mylanta ranitidine(AUS) works. The only thing i worry about is the high doses. As it seems 8-10 times the daily dose seems to work. Definately something in the back of my mind telling me thats wrong. Same with dexies. As a 22 year old whos partied way too hard, im thinking no alcohol might be the way. im through the hardest drinking years and my friends giving me shit for refusing a drink. But no drink is not that easy. A cure would be nice...but so little research. ive definately got over finding one before im too old to party. keep these threads going cos two heads are better than one as they say. Very interesting to hear other peoples stories.

21 Reply by tip

  • tip
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

i am half french and half american indian and i flush pretty bad and i have no asian decendants whats the deal? i just started to turn red when i drink like six months ago. I used to pick on my hiwiian buddy for turning red when he drinks now i get just as red as him but only on my face and on my tan parts of my body karma i guess?

22 Reply by howard

  • howard
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

well id like to share some of my research as it seems relevant to the discussion. there have been clinical studies using antihistamines to prevent the "asian flush". basically the antihistamines that get the job done the best are the h2 receptor antagonists... found in pepcid tagamet etc.... the h1 receptor antagonists do little to reduce or prevent redness by themself, but when combined with h2 blockers they are more effective than h2 alone... why i have no idea. the antihistamines do not slow the absorbtion of alcohol but rather they prevent redness by blocking the receptors that mediate the "asian flush". since acetaldehyde is toxic substance your body may treat it as such and respond with a allergic type reaction, with the whole IgE response mechanism leading to the release of histamine among other things.

blah blah im sure thats all very interesting or very boring depending on who you are

but the bottom line is to reduce or prevent the "asian flush" you can take pecid ac an h2 antagonist since it works best. and maybe combining it with something like claritin a weak but h1 antagonist, but there have been no studies with this cobination, so i wouldnt go combining drugs willy nilly. however i suspect that it should be okay to combine the two, as they act on different receptors, and loratidine in claritine does not cross the blood brain barrier. both antihistamines are insoluable in ethanol which seems to make them a good choice. as far as the dosage goes,  the journal articles ive read all used a regular over the counter dose of each antihistamine together and seperately. however, their choice of antihistamines were different, but work with the same mechanism. the only thing that i could not figure out was why every study chose to use benadryl as their h1 receptor blocker since it does cross the blood brain barrier and by doing do may cause drowsiness.


again this is all based on research i have done and scientific journal articles...  just because i dose myself with claratin and pecid ac doesnt mean you should...

yes it works

23 Reply by Dani

  • Dani
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

is it called the "asian flush" because it's most common in asians? the name is misleading, I used to think it was exclusive to asians until I saw my friend (he's white) get all red in the face after downing half a mimosa. It's funny, he's worse than me. From what I understand, I think it's least common in white people, more common in black people, and most common among asians/native americans....? 

In any case, both my parents suffer from this "syndrome", so I was screwed from birth. Unfortunate, seeing as I am studying to be a music journalist and I spend a lot of time in establishments where alcohol is served and there is a lot of social drinking going on. Guess I'll never be able to do the early '20s debauchee thing like everyone else pursuing this profession. It's a shame, alcohol is a great social lubricant... that I am just going to have to do without, I suppose. Oh, why couldn't I belong to the other 50%.... most of the other asians I associate with do not have this problem.

I never get nauseous or vomit no matter how much I drink, but I do become VERY drowsy (to the point where I just might as well be narcoleptic) and I can't have three beers without waking up the next morning to find that my eyes are kind of swollen. GOD, is it a bitch.

24 Reply by Davo

  • Davo
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

I am an Irish/German type guy that has been a beer drinker for 40 years and never got the red face until about 1 or 2 years ago. Now 1 or 2 beers gets my face very red, red enough to embarrass me. I dont drink except for social occasions and the holidays...only 10 times a year. very annoying

25 Reply by Jack

  • Jack
  • Guest

Re: Scientific reason for why we turn red

Rose wrote:

I am a Non Asian alcohol induced red faced sufferer.  Two sips of alcohol and I glow like crazy along with feeling dizzy and overheated.   Much of what I've found on the net about this makes it sound like it is almost exclusively an Asian problem.  I've done my genealogy back hundreds of years and there isn't an Asian in the bunch.  I am of German, Scottish, Irish, English, and French descent.  So how do I end up with this Asian Flush thing.  An interesting asside is I have B- blood type which I understand is predominately an Asian type.  Go figure..

Rose, I get the same thing. I only get red on my cheeks right under the eyes. I am Male and 35 years old. I just started having this happen the past few years (that I can remember). Very strange, I am affraid to drink.

                        Jack